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Financial Information

Stirling foster carers are paid a fee and an allowance for each child placed with them. The fee element depends on the service provider level that the carer is placed on. Levels for 2006-2007 are:

  • Level 1  £90.00 per week per child
  • Level 2  £135.00 per week per child
  • Level 3  £165.00 per week per child

The fee levels are for the first two children placed. We recognise that if children are to receive the individual attention that they require then numbers of children should be restricted in each placement. Accordingly most carers are approved for 2 children or 3 if a sibling group. The fee level for the 3rd or subsequent child placed is 50% of the above.

Caring for children can be an expensive business. We strive to pay the Fostering Network allowance rate for the different ages of children. The allowance rate for 2005 - 2006 is as follows:

  • 0 -4  £115.00
  • 5 - 10  £131.00
  • 11 - 15  £163.00
  • 16 plus  £199.00

This means that if a Level 1 carer has 2 children placed with them, 1 age 3 and 1 age 7, then the weekly fee and allowances would amount to £426.

Another example would be a Level 3 carer having 2 teenagers placed, 1 age 12 and 1 age 16, the weekly fees and allowances would amount to £692.

We recognise that if placements end after a lengthy period then families will have become dependent on their fostering income. We therefore have a retainer payment scheme which is on a sliding scale. If a placement has lasted more than 3 months when it ends the carer will receive up to 2 weeks fee provided they are available for further placement. This increases on a sliding scale up to 6 weeks fee if the placement has lasted for more than a year.

In addition to the above, we pay an extra week’s allowance at Christmas and at the child’s birthday and an extra 2 weeks allowance at the Summer holiday period. This is an acknowledgement of the extra costs incurred at these holiday times.

We also pay mileage allowance to carers when they are travelling on Stirling Council business and there is also a telephone allowance available.