Does foster carer pay per month change between placements?

The amount shown as foster carer pay each month is not necessarily a fixed salary. It can change when the arrangement changes, when a placement ends or begins, or when the terms agreed for a particular child are different. Your fostering service should explain the payment structure before you accept a placement.

Why the monthly amount may differ

• The number of children placed with you: payments are generally considered for each approved placement, so caring for more than one child may produce a different total than caring for one. The needs of each child and the practical demands on your household also need to be considered before accepting additional placements.
• The length and type of placement: short-term, long-term, emergency, parent-and-child, fostering for children with specific needs and other arrangements may have different payment terms. A temporary arrangement should not automatically be assumed to have the same monthly value as a longer placement.
• A change in the child’s circumstances: a child’s support plan may develop during a placement. If the level of care required changes substantially, discuss with the fostering service whether the existing payment arrangements still apply.
• Additional agreed support: some placements may involve separately agreed payments or expenses connected with the child’s particular requirements. These should be explained clearly rather than assumed to form part of the standard allowance.
• A placement ending or starting part-way through a payment period: the amount paid for that period may not match a complete month. The service should explain how it handles the final payment, any partial period and the start of a new arrangement.

A change does not always mean that the basic fostering allowance itself has changed. Your overall monthly income may be different because an additional payment no longer applies, because a placement has ended, or because a new placement has different agreed terms. Keep the allowance, any fee for your fostering role and approved expenses separate when reviewing the total.

What to check before accepting a placement

• Ask for a written breakdown of the standard allowance and any additional payments.
• Confirm whether the quoted amount is per child, per placement or linked to another arrangement.
• Ask which payments are continuing and which are one-off or dependent on specific circumstances.
• Check how payments are dealt with if a placement starts or ends during the month.
• Find out whether respite or planned changes to the arrangement have separate terms.
• Ask who to contact if the child’s needs change and the original arrangement no longer reflects the care required.

It is sensible to plan your household budget around the payment terms that have been confirmed, rather than assuming that every future placement will produce the same monthly figure. Fostering services can explain the current arrangements for a proposed placement and identify which elements are allowances, fees or reimbursed expenses. If anything is unclear, raise it before agreeing to the placement and keep the written information for your records.