Do respite foster carers receive payments for every placement?

Usually, respite foster carers are paid for each placement that goes ahead, but payment is not automatically due for every date they make themselves available. The key factor is whether the placement has been formally agreed and the child has stayed with the carer under the terms set by the fostering service.

Before a respite placement begins, the carer should be given clear information about the arrangement, including:

• the child’s planned arrival and departure dates;
• the agreed payment rate or allowance;
• what the payment is intended to cover;
• how additional days, activities or approved expenses will be handled; and
• when the payment will be processed.

This written information matters because respite care can involve short stays, changes to collection arrangements or an extension beyond the original plan. The payment should reflect the placement dates recorded by the fostering service rather than an informal understanding between adults. Keep copies of the placement agreement, dates of stay and any approved expense records in case the final payment needs to be checked.

An agreed placement that is cancelled before the child arrives may be treated differently from a placement that has taken place. Some fostering services have arrangements for cancellations or late changes, while others only pay when the child is actually placed. There is no single rule that applies to every fostering service, so this point should be explained during the assessment and before accepting a respite placement.

If a child stays for fewer or more days than planned, the fostering service will normally use its payment policy and the updated placement record to calculate what is due. An early ending may therefore change the final amount. Similarly, an extension should be agreed with the supervising team rather than assumed to be covered by the original arrangement.

Payment is separate from the practical support provided to a respite carer. You remain responsible for meeting the child’s day-to-day needs during the agreed stay, following the care plan, recording relevant information and reporting any concerns or changes. The fostering service’s finance and fostering teams should be able to explain how these responsibilities connect with the payment process.

It is sensible to ask the following questions before accepting a placement:

• Is the payment based on each night, each day or another agreed unit?
• What happens if the placement is cancelled before arrival?
• How are extensions, early endings and changes to dates paid?
• Are travel costs or other expenses dealt with separately?
• What records must be submitted before payment can be made?
• Who should be contacted if the amount paid does not match the placement record?

For an individual placement, the written agreement and the fostering service’s current allowance policy are the most reliable sources. A local fostering team can explain the terms before you commit, including how payments are handled when arrangements change.