Does foster carer pay per month include payment for the carer’s time?

The payment for a foster carer’s time is normally a professional fee rather than an hourly wage. It recognises the responsibilities involved in fostering, including providing consistent care, following the child’s care plan, working with professionals and attending to the additional demands that may arise during a placement.

The other part of a monthly payment is generally intended to meet the child’s everyday costs. This may include food, clothing, personal items, travel, activities and household expenses connected with caring for them. The fee for the carer’s time should therefore not be treated as money available entirely for household spending: the payment may contain both money for the child and an amount that recognises the carer’s role.

Fostering is different from ordinary employment. Carers are not usually paid a standard hourly rate for each task they complete, and the payment does not necessarily reflect every hour spent caring, planning, travelling or completing records. The arrangement is based on the responsibilities of fostering and the terms agreed with the fostering agency, rather than a timesheet.

The amount and structure can vary according to the agency, the type of approval, the child’s needs and the placement arrangements. A placement requiring more specialised care may have different payment terms from one involving routine fostering. Payments can also be affected by whether a child is living with the carer, the agreed level of care and any additional support or expenses set out in the placement agreement.

Before applying, it is sensible to ask the agency to explain its payment structure in writing. In particular, check:

• which part is intended to cover the child’s costs;
• which part recognises the carer’s time, skills and responsibilities;
• whether the payment changes for different types of placement;
• which expenses are included and which may be considered separately;
• what happens to payments between placements or during changes to an arrangement; and
• how payments are recorded for tax and other financial purposes.

Prospective carers should also consider the practical commitment involved. Assessment includes looking at whether applicants have the time, stability, space and support needed to foster. Training and preparation help applicants understand the expectations, while ongoing supervision and guidance support them once they begin fostering. These responsibilities are part of what the professional fee is intended to recognise.

It is important to budget conservatively. The payment should not be viewed as a guaranteed salary or as compensation calculated solely by the number of hours worked. The precise terms should come from the fostering agency’s current allowance and fee information and from the agreement for the individual placement.

Become A Foster Family can explain how its allowances and professional fees are structured, what support is available during the assessment process and how payments relate to different fostering arrangements. Asking for a clear breakdown before making an application can help you decide whether fostering is financially and practically suitable for your household.