Allowances
Allowances are paid to meet the weekly cost of caring for a foster child. The payments can be supplemented by the Carers’ Progression Scheme which recognises skills, experience and training in caring for children and young people with more complex needs.  

The basic weekly rates are reviewed each year.

In addition Devon has a specialist Family Care Worker and Remand Fostering Scheme with further enhanced payments and support packages for the care of young people with the most complex care needs.
Holiday and birthday allowances are also paid. Travel costs are included in the standard weekly allowance paid to you, but excessive travel costs in respect of a foster child are met by the Council.         

Carers Progression Scheme

The Carers Progression Scheme recognises carers skills, experience, learning and professional development in a series of tiered payments.

Preparation

Following your pre-approval ‘Skills to Foster’ training, you may be contacted to care for a child at any time. Some children are placed with carers without much notice whilst others are placed in a planned way giving you time to meet previous carers and find out about a child or young person before they arrive.  

It may be difficult for you to anticipate the emotional upheaval of having a child come to live with you. If you are parents yourself you may remember how no amount of preparation prepares you for the change a new baby brings, but most families adjust and soon manage to re-establish normal family life and routines. The same applies to fostering.  

Where a child’s arrival has been planned you will have background information about them including why they have had to be looked after, what their day-to-day care needs are and information about the child themselves.

To settle a child or young person into your home will mean you making adjustments and establishing boundaries and routines. Giving the child or young person information about yourself, your family and your house rules will be important as every family is different. Giving them a particular time every day where you are available to talk about any worries or concerns in a relaxed way can be helpful.

The child or young person’s time with you will be reviewed a regularly by their social worker and your link social worker. If it’s not right everyone, another home will be sought and your link social worker will go through with you why the fostering could not continue. We realise that these things happen and we do not want you to feel a failure.

Behaviour

How a child or young person behaves when they are placed in foster care will vary considerably and reflect their previous experience of parenting and family life as well as the trauma of being separated from their parents.  Expect the unexpected and you could be surprised if a child moves into your family without too many difficulties.

Support

You are likely to need to “weather the storm” with a child or young person at some time during their stay with you and there are no easy answers. You will get advice and support from their social worker, your link social worker and other professionals who may already be involved.

Experienced foster carers, called Peer Guides, and carer support groups provide invaluable advice and support to new foster carers. There's nothing like talking to someone who’s had similar experiences.

Training

We encourage you to access post approval training (travel and childcare costs will be paid) and an annual programme is available. Training is an opportunity to learn new skills and meet other foster carers. It is linked to the carer’s progression scheme and carers can also undertake NVQ qualifications in Caring for Children and Young People.  

For some of you who haven’t experienced any learning since your school days the thought of attending training may be scary but it shouldn’t be. It’s usually fun and a great way to reflect on your fostering experience and not only learn yourself but contribute to other foster carers’ learning.