Is a foster carer allowance paid during training?

A standard foster carer allowance is not normally paid simply for attending training. Training and assessment take place before approval, while fostering payments usually become relevant once you are approved and a child is placed with you. The exact arrangements depend on the fostering provider’s policy and the terms explained during your application.

Pre-approval training is part of the process used to prepare you for fostering and assess whether fostering is suitable for your household. It may cover subjects such as safeguarding, child development, safer caring, managing behaviour, working with birth families and the responsibilities of working with the fostering provider. Completing training does not, by itself, create an entitlement to a regular fostering allowance.

It is important to distinguish between a fostering allowance and costs connected with training. An allowance is generally linked to caring for a child, whereas training-related support may cover an expense associated with attending a course. Depending on the provider’s policy, this could include agreed travel costs or other necessary expenses, but it should not be assumed that every cost will be reimbursed. Ask what can be claimed, whether approval is needed in advance and which receipts or records are required.

Some fostering providers may have their own arrangements for supporting applicants during the assessment process. These arrangements are separate from the regular allowance paid for a placement and can vary according to the provider, the training involved and the circumstances of the applicant. Your fostering team should explain any available support before you commit to an expense.

The usual financial sequence is:

• Enquiry and initial discussion: you receive information about fostering and discuss whether it may be suitable for your household.
• Training and assessment: you complete the required preparation and provide information for the assessment. This stage is not normally paid as a fostering placement.
• Approval: a decision is made about whether you are approved to foster and the types of placements you may be considered for.
• Placement: once a child is placed with you, the applicable allowance and any agreed additional payments are explained under the provider’s payment arrangements.

Before starting training, ask the fostering provider to confirm in writing:

• whether any payment or expense support is available before approval;
• which training, travel or other costs can be claimed;
• whether costs must be agreed before they are incurred;
• how claims should be submitted and what evidence is needed;
• when allowance payments begin after approval and placement; and
• where the current payment terms and allowances are documented.

Become a Foster Family can explain the financial arrangements alongside the training, assessment and approval process. Its teams support applicants across the West Midlands, including Birmingham, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Dudley, Sandwell, Herefordshire, Telford, Wolverhampton, Shropshire, Walsall, Warwickshire, Stoke, Solihull, Coventry and Gloucestershire, so you can ask for guidance based on your circumstances and the relevant fostering policy.