What affects the amount of respite foster care pay?

The amount paid for respite foster care is determined by the fostering service’s agreed payment policy and the circumstances of the placement. The figure may include a fostering allowance for the child’s day-to-day costs and, where applicable, a separate fee recognising the carer’s time, skills and responsibilities.

The main factors that can affect respite foster care pay include:

• The type of respite arrangement: A planned short break, emergency arrangement or regular recurring placement may be paid under different terms. The service should explain which payment category applies before the placement begins.
• The agreed duration and payment calculation: Services may set rates by day, night or another agreed unit. The payment terms should clarify how the first and final days are counted, particularly where a child arrives or leaves part-way through a day.
• The level of care required: A placement involving additional supervision, personal care, medication, emotional support or more complex routines may require a different assessment from a straightforward short stay. Any enhanced payment should be agreed rather than assumed.
• The number of children placed: Caring for siblings or more than one child at the same time can change the total payment and may involve separate allowances for each child. The fostering service must also confirm that the proposed arrangement is suitable for the household and the available space.
• Specific expenses: Travel, activities, equipment, meals or other costs may be handled through the standard allowance, reimbursed separately or agreed in advance. Keep receipts and records where the service requires them, and check which expenses need prior approval.
• Your approval and agreed terms: A carer’s approval may set out the type of fostering they can provide, the ages or needs they are approved to support and any agreed limits. These details can affect which respite placements are offered and the payment attached to them.

Payment arrangements should be confirmed before accepting a placement. Ask for the daily or nightly rate, what each element covers, how expenses are dealt with and when the payment is due. The placement agreement, payment schedule or other written terms should record this information so that you know what to expect.

It is also important to distinguish between money paid for caring and money provided for the child’s expenses. The allowance is intended to meet the costs of looking after the child, while a fee may recognise the carer’s role. The total shown on a payment statement may therefore contain more than one element, each with a different purpose.

If the arrangements change after the placement starts, for example because the stay is extended, the care required increases or an additional child is placed, ask the fostering service to confirm the revised payment before agreeing to the change where possible. Do not rely on a verbal assumption about an enhanced rate or extra expense.

There is no single respite foster care rate that applies to every fostering service or every placement. The most reliable way to establish what you could receive is to request the current payment policy and ask how it would apply to the type of respite care you are considering. A fostering adviser can explain the calculation and identify which costs are included, separate or subject to approval.