Financial support

Foster carers receive competitive rates with plenty of added benefits.

Fees for other types of fostering

Fees for respite care

You earn the wage and allowance for a child on a pro rata basis for part-time respite care.

This means that you get paid for the time a child is in your care.

Fees for fostering a disabled child

You will earn more for fostering a disabled child:

  • £550 (+ allowance) per week for a child of any age with diagnosed disabilities and is receiving support from our Children With Disabilities team
  • £1,090 (+ allowance) per week for a child of any age with diagnosed disabilities and who requires a high level of two-parent care or through-the-night care.

Fees for short breaks for disabled children

Short breaks are where you look after a disabled child to give birth families or foster carers a break from their full time caring role. 

You can care for a small number of disabled children throughout the year. You can choose to provide three, four or five nights of care per week. 

You earn a flat rate as well as an overnight fee. You can earn:

  • £550 + the overnight fee of £100 for a 5 night short break
  • £440 + the overnight fee of £100 for a 4 night short break
  • £330 + the overnight rate of £100 for a 3 night short break

Once you are approved to provide fee-paid short breaks, you receive your fee. This gives time to make sure you are matched with a suitable child.

You continue to receive a fee even when you do not have a child staying with you. 

Emergency Bed Scheme and PACE (the Police and Criminal Evidence Act) Scheme

As a foster carer, you can join the rota for the Emergency Bed and PACE Scheme which is where you provide care for a child or young person out of hours, supporting them in an emergency or to prevent them remaining in police custody.

You can earn:

  • £250 + allowance (when a child is placed) for a PACE Bed Scheme placement
  • £350 + allowance (when a child is placed) for supporting a child or young person in an emergency

Parent and child fostering

You can earn more for offering your home to a parent and child. You earn £550 per week plus an allowance for the child.