What records are needed for respite foster care payments?

For respite foster care payments, you normally need a clear record of the placement, the dates and type of care provided, the payments issued and any approved costs connected with the arrangement. The exact documents vary between fostering services, so use the service’s own forms and payment guidance as the primary record.

In addition to the core placement paperwork, it is sensible to keep the following information together:

• Payment authorisations: retain emails, letters or forms confirming the agreed respite arrangement, the payment rate, any additional allowances and who approved them.
• Payment schedules and remittance advice: keep a record showing the date each payment was due, the date it was received and what the payment relates to. This helps identify missing, duplicated or incorrect payments.
• Placement changes and cancellations: record amended dates, extensions, shortened stays, cancelled respite and changes in the child’s arrangements. Note who confirmed the change and whether it affected the payment calculation.
• Approved additional costs: keep evidence for costs that the fostering service has agreed to reimburse, together with the relevant approval. A receipt alone may not be enough if prior authorisation was required.
• Travel evidence: where travel is payable, record the date, journey, purpose and mileage or other transport cost, using the service’s mileage or expense form if it provides one.
• Correspondence about queries: save messages and notes from discussions about rates, payment dates, rejected claims or corrections. Include the date, the person contacted and the outcome agreed.

Keep records contemporaneously, meaning you should update them as the respite arrangement takes place rather than relying on memory later. Check that names, dates and placement reference numbers match across the relevant documents. If an arrangement changes, mark the original entry clearly and add the corrected information rather than deleting the history.

A simple payment record can include the placement reference, agreed dates, approved rate or allowance, eligible expenses, amount paid, payment date and any difference still to be resolved. Your fostering service may use an online portal, spreadsheet or paper form instead, and its format should take precedence.

Financial records should be kept separately from detailed day-to-day care notes wherever possible. Payment evidence may need enough information to identify the placement, but it should not contain unnecessary sensitive details about the child. Store paper records securely and protect digital files with suitable access controls. Follow your fostering service’s instructions on retention and secure disposal, particularly because fostering records contain personal information.

Before submitting a claim or querying a payment, check that the record shows:

• the correct respite dates and whether the child stayed for the full agreed period;
• any change that could alter the amount due;
• the correct approval for additional expenses;
• the amount already received and the amount being claimed; and
• copies or references for the supporting evidence requested by the fostering service.

If a payment is missing or does not match your records, contact the fostering service’s finance or fostering team and provide the relevant placement reference and supporting documents. Keep a note of the query until it has been resolved. Do not assume that an expense, training-related cost or altered arrangement is payable unless the service has confirmed the applicable rules in writing.