Choose Fostering - Choose Thurrock

The Benefits

There are many resources that you can utilise as a Foster Carer with Thurrock:

• You will have a designated qualified social worker – a 'supervising social worker' from the team who will offer you regular support.
• We have a dedicated emergency duty team offering out-of-hours response in an emergency plus our out-of-hours telephone support line that operates during evenings and weekends for general advice and support
• You will become a member of the Fostering Network, which is a national charity committed to supporting the task of fostering. They will provide free impartial advice for foster carer.
• There is a foster carer committee which is run by foster carers for foster carers
• Thurrock operates a ‘buddy’ system where you will be paired with an experienced carer for advice and support
• We have a nurse specialist for looked after children and she is available to all foster carers for support and advice on a wide range of health issues.
• We have a Training Coordinator for looked after children whose job is to ensure that our foster carers and other people working within the service are equipped with the necessary skills to do the job.
• To help with the cost of keeping each child, you will be given a weekly allowance, which is dependent on the age of the child. You will also receive a weekly reward payment when you have a child in placement.
• In addition, there are other grants and allowances available, including help with the furniture, bedding, and meeting other basic requirements and special times of the year such as birthdays. These payments do not affect state benefits or personal tax allowances in any way.

Further information on foster care finances can be found at:

• HM Revenue & Customs: Foster Care Relief

Payment Allowances

Reward and Payment Allowances

There are two main payments you will receive as a foster carer, one is for you as a carer, and the other is to cover the cost of the child in placement.

Weekly fee payment

Amount the foster carer earns for their skills:

Level 1	£53.00
Level 2	£106.00
Level 3	£262.65
Therapeutic carer (enhanced allowance)	£288.92

Weekly fostering allowances:

For children accommodated with foster carers. This should cover the full cost of looking after each child:

Scale A	Under 4 years	£131.47
Scale B	Aged 5 - 10 years	£149.76
Scale C	Aged 11 - 15 years	£186.43
Scale D	Aged 16 +	£226.74

The amount you receive as a foster carer will depend on which level of carer you are and the age of the child you have in placement.

For example, if you are a Level 1 carer and are fostering a 3 year old child, you would receive £184.47 per week (£53.00 + £131.47). If you are a level 3 carer fostering a 16 year old you would receive £484.39 per week (£262.65 + £226.74).

There are a number of other allowances payable e.g. help with furniture/bedding/other basic requirements. All allowances are reviewed annually.

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