How are emergency foster care payments calculated for each placement?

Emergency foster care payments are calculated according to the fostering service’s payment policy and the individual placement agreement. There is no single national emergency rate. The amount may be made up of a standard fostering allowance, a fee for the carer’s work and, where applicable, agreed additional payments linked to the child’s circumstances or the arrangements needed to support them.

The service should provide a written breakdown so you can see which parts of the payment are included. This normally sets out:

• the basic allowance for the child’s everyday costs;
• any professional fee or reward paid to the foster carer;
• additional amounts for assessed needs or specialist arrangements;
• how the payment is calculated for part of a week; and
• which expenses are claimed separately rather than included in the placement payment.

The basic allowance is intended to contribute towards ordinary costs such as food, clothing, personal items, activities, household costs and transport connected with the child’s care. It is not normally the same as the carer’s fee. A fee, where the fostering service offers one, recognises the carer’s time, skills and responsibilities. Some services combine these elements into one published rate, while others show them separately.

For an emergency placement, the service will consider the information available at the point the child is placed. This can include the child’s age, known care needs, behaviour, health requirements, contact arrangements, education or transport needs, and whether the placement involves siblings. If the information is incomplete because the placement is arranged urgently, the payment should still be confirmed and reviewed when fuller details are available.

The length of the placement also affects the calculation. A service may publish a weekly rate and apply it to the actual period of care, but the precise method for a short placement varies. It may use daily amounts, a part-week calculation or another arrangement set out in its policy. Ask how the service treats the day the child arrives, the day they leave and any extension beyond the original plan.

Some emergency placements require extra preparation or resources. For example, the agreed payment may need to take account of additional supervision, specialist training, adaptations, equipment or transport. These costs should not be assumed to come out of the ordinary allowance. The fostering service should explain whether they are included in the placement rate, paid as an additional allowance or reimbursed through a separate expenses process.

Payments can be reconsidered if the placement changes significantly. A longer stay, a change in the child’s assessed needs, additional contact commitments or a move to a different type of placement may lead to a revised agreement. Any change should be discussed with the supervising social worker or fostering service and recorded clearly, rather than relying on an informal understanding.

Before accepting an emergency placement, ask for confirmation of:

• the total agreed amount and the date from which it applies;
• the allowance and fee shown as separate elements, if applicable;
• any additional payments connected with the child’s needs;
• the method used for calculating incomplete weeks;
• the expenses that can be claimed separately and the evidence required;
• when the payment will be processed; and
• what happens if the placement is extended, ends early or changes category.

It is also important to check whether the quoted amount is the payment for the placement or an estimate pending assessment. Emergency decisions may be made with limited information, so the final figure can depend on the placement agreement and any subsequent review. Keep copies of the payment schedule, agreement and approved expense claims so that you can check payments against the terms agreed with the fostering service.

For an exact calculation, the relevant fostering service must confirm its current rates and rules. Payment arrangements differ between services, and the figures can change when their policies or funding arrangements are reviewed.