Are respite foster carers paid when a placement is cancelled?
Respite foster carers may be paid when a placement is cancelled, but this depends on the fostering provider’s payment policy and the terms of the carer’s agreement. Check whether cancellation payments apply, particularly where you have reserved availability or made arrangements for the child, before accepting the placement.
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A cancelled respite placement does not automatically generate the usual fostering payment. The outcome normally depends on why the placement was cancelled, how much notice was given, and whether the written agreement or payment policy includes a cancellation arrangement.
Respite payments are generally connected to caring for a child during an agreed placement. If the child does not arrive, the standard fostering allowance may therefore not be payable. However, some fostering providers make a separate payment where a carer has reserved dates, declined other arrangements or prepared their household for the placement. This is usually treated as a cancellation payment rather than the normal allowance for a child in placement.
The terms may differ according to the circumstances. For example, the policy may address:
- cancellations made before the planned start date;
- cancellations made shortly before arrival or on the day;
- a placement ending earlier than expected;
- the child no longer requiring respite care;
- the carer becoming unable to accept the placement; and
- whether any agreed preparation or travel expenses can be claimed.
A provider may apply different rules where the cancellation is outside the carer’s control than where the carer withdraws from an agreed placement. This is why it is important to read the relevant fostering agreement, fee schedule and local cancellation policy rather than assume that every cancelled booking is treated in the same way.
Before accepting respite work, ask the fostering service to explain in writing:
- whether a payment is made if the provider or placing authority cancels;
- how much notice affects the payment;
- whether the payment is a fixed amount, a proportion of the expected fee or another agreed sum;
- what happens if the placement is shortened after the child arrives;
- whether preparation, mileage or other agreed expenses are dealt with separately; and
- when any cancellation payment would be made.
Keep a record of the agreed dates, the placement details, messages about the cancellation and any costs you incurred. If the situation is unclear, contact your supervising social worker or the fostering service’s payments team before submitting a claim. They can confirm whether the cancellation falls within the policy and what evidence is needed.
For prospective respite carers, cancellation arrangements are worth discussing during the assessment and preparation process. You should understand both the payment available when a placement goes ahead and the arrangements that apply when plans change. A clear written explanation helps you plan responsibly without treating a possible cancellation payment as guaranteed income.
The clearest way to establish whether a cancelled respite placement will be paid is to check how the fostering agreement defines a placement and a cancellation. Some policies distinguish between a confirmed booking, a proposed arrangement and a placement that has actually started, and that wording can affect which payment rules apply.
- Look for the sections headed “cancellation”, “notice”, “fees” or “reserved availability”.
- Check whether payment is described as an allowance, fee, retainer or separate cancellation payment.
- Identify who must approve the payment and whether the carer needs to submit a form or supporting evidence.
- Note any process for querying a decision if the written terms appear to have been applied incorrectly.
If the agreement is unclear, ask the fostering service to explain the relevant clause in plain language before relying on it. Keep the explanation with your records so you know what applies if a future respite booking changes.
Discuss cancelled placement payment arrangements
Speak to Become a Foster Family about how cancelled respite placements are handled and what payment arrangements may apply before you accept a booking.