What expenses are covered by emergency foster care payments?

Emergency foster care payments are intended to meet reasonable costs that arise because a child is placed with you, including approved exceptional expenses that cannot be planned for in advance. The precise arrangement depends on the fostering agency, the child’s needs and the terms of the placement, so not every purchase will automatically be included in the standard payment.

In practice, the payment may be made up of different elements. A fostering allowance usually contributes towards the ordinary cost of caring for the child, while a separate payment or reimbursement may be available for an unusual or significant expense. Some agencies also provide an emergency purchase fund, an agreed budget or additional allowances for particular needs. Ask which arrangement applies before committing to a cost.

Expenses that may be considered for additional support include:

• Urgent personal items: essential belongings needed because the child arrives without suitable possessions, or because their immediate circumstances mean that an ordinary allowance is not enough.
• Health-related needs: approved costs connected with a child’s health, personal care or appointments where the expense is not met through the usual public services or another responsible organisation.
• Specialist requirements: items or services recommended to support a disability, sensory need, communication need or other assessed requirement. These normally need to be discussed with the supervising social worker before purchase.
• Placement-related household costs: a significant, child-specific cost that is necessary to make the placement safe and workable may be considered, particularly where it could not reasonably have been anticipated.
• Contact and arrangements with other professionals: an expense directly connected with an agreed contact plan, assessment or meeting may be paid separately when the agency has authorised it.

These examples do not mean that an agency will automatically pay for every item in each category. Responsibility may instead sit with the local authority, the child’s parents, the health service or another organisation. The agency should explain who is expected to meet the cost and whether you should claim it through fostering payments, request reimbursement or pass the invoice to someone else.

Some costs are generally treated as part of normal household spending rather than as an additional emergency expense. This can include ordinary increases in household bills, purchases that benefit the whole family, upgrades chosen by the carer and costs unrelated to the child’s placement. Policies differ, so an expense should not be assumed to be covered simply because it arose while the child was living with you.

Before buying something expensive or unusual, check:

• whether the cost is included in the regular allowance;
• whether written approval is required;
• who has authority to approve it;
• whether there is a spending limit or preferred supplier;
• what evidence must be provided; and
• when and how reimbursement will be made.

Emergency circumstances may mean that an essential purchase has to be made before formal approval is possible. In that situation, choose a reasonable option, keep the receipt and contact the agency as soon as you can. Record why the purchase was necessary, when it was made and how it related to the child’s placement. A receipt alone may not explain the circumstances sufficiently, particularly where the cost is unusual.

Keep payment records separate from your personal spending where possible. Retain receipts, approval messages, invoices and mileage or other supporting information in line with the agency’s record-keeping requirements. Clear records help the agency assess whether a cost is placement-related and reduce the risk of a legitimate claim being delayed or rejected.

The safest approach is to treat the published allowance as the starting point and obtain specific guidance for anything exceptional. Your fostering agency should give you its current expenses policy, explain how emergency costs are authorised and tell you what to do if the child’s needs change during the placement.