Can kinship carers receive financial support before approval?

Financial support before full approval depends on the legal arrangement in place and the local authority’s assessment of the child’s needs. A kinship carer should establish whether they are being temporarily approved as a connected person foster carer, or whether the child is being cared for under another arrangement, because the available payments and responsibilities can differ.

Where a child needs to be placed urgently with a relative or someone they already know, the local authority may use temporary approval for a connected person foster placement. This allows the placement to begin while the full fostering assessment continues. Temporary approval is normally limited to 16 weeks, although an extension of up to eight weeks may be possible in specific circumstances. During this period, the carer should ask the social worker to explain which fostering allowance and other support will apply.

A temporarily approved kinship foster carer will usually be considered under the local authority’s fostering payment arrangements. The amount can depend on the child’s age, needs, placement type and the authority’s policy. Additional support may be considered where the child has particular health, education, behavioural or equipment needs. The payment arrangements should be explained clearly before, or as soon as possible after, the placement begins.

Financial help may also be available before temporary approval is completed. Depending on the circumstances, the local authority could consider assistance with immediate essentials such as:

• clothing, bedding and basic furniture;
• travel connected with the child’s placement or contact arrangements;
• school items, activities or other essential costs;
• adaptations or equipment needed to make the home suitable; and
• short-term practical support while the assessment is taking place.

This type of assistance is not the same as a regular fostering allowance. It may be offered as a one-off payment, reimbursement, loan or other form of support, and may require the carer to provide evidence of the cost. Some assistance is based on the child’s welfare needs rather than the carer’s income, while other schemes may include a financial assessment. The social worker should confirm the basis on which any help is being offered.

If the child is living with a relative or family friend through an informal arrangement, there may be no fostering allowance because the carer has not been approved as a foster carer. The local authority should still consider what support the child and carer need, particularly if the arrangement has arisen because the child cannot safely remain with their parents. The financial options may be different if the arrangement later becomes a child arrangements order, special guardianship arrangement or another formal legal route.

The fostering assessment normally includes checks and references, a home assessment, medical information, safeguarding checks, preparation training and an evaluation of the household’s ability to meet the child’s needs. The assessment should not be treated as a reason to delay essential support for a child already placed in the home. However, receiving assistance does not itself guarantee approval, and approval does not remove the need to agree how future payments will be managed.

Before accepting a placement, ask for the following information in writing:

• the legal basis for the placement;
• whether temporary approval has been granted and its end date;
• the regular allowance, if one applies;
• any initial or emergency payment available;
• which expenses can be claimed and what receipts are required;
• when payments will begin and how they will be made; and
• who to contact if the child’s needs or circumstances change.

If the local authority has indicated that support will be provided but no payment has been made, the carer should first request a written explanation from the child’s social worker or fostering team. Keep records of agreed amounts, dates, expenses and conversations. If the issue is not resolved, use the authority’s complaints procedure and ask for independent advice about the child’s legal status and the carer’s entitlements.

Kinship carers should also check separately whether they can claim benefits or other statutory help. Those rules depend on household income, the child’s circumstances and the legal arrangement, and they are separate from fostering allowances or discretionary local-authority assistance.