Foster Carer Fees

“Please provide:-

1. Details of the lowest, highest and average weekly fee rates agreed with external suppliers of Independent Foster Care Services for the current year (2019/2020).

Example response as follows ‘
Lowest weekly fee rate = £461.28
Highest weekly fee rate = £1150.71
Average weekly fee rate = £746.51

Fees paid to Independent Fostering Agencies are determined by those providers. Devon County Council (DCC) do hold that information, however:

  • Disclosure of those rates may provide competitive advantage and prejudice the commercial interests of the agencies involved.
  • Disclosure may also prejudice the interests of DCC as fostering placement fees may be increased which could result in reduced value for money to the Council and the people it serves.

Therefore, we are exempting this information from disclosure under Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 – ‘Commercial Interests’.

DCC is aware that Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act is subject to the public interest test and is confident that the public interest lies in favour of withholding this information at the present time.

2. Details of the lowest, highest and average weekly fee rates paid to local authority carers.

(Please note that for questions 1 and 2, we do not require details of all rates paid to individual suppliers, simply minimum, maximum and average rates payable.)

Example response as follows ‘
Lowest weekly fee rate = £256.25
Highest weekly fee rate = £642.06
Average weekly fee rate = £416

As at 31st March 2019 the highest weekly payment to an in-house foster carer was £1,072.52.

As at 31st March 2019 the lowest weekly payment to an in-house foster carer was £329.07.

As at 31st March 2019 the average weekly payment to an in-house foster carer was £435.51.

Please note that payments made to friends and family carers awaiting approval, foster to adopt carers and parent & child carers are excluded from the above figures.

3. Details of the rates of each tier for independent fostering agencies (if there is a framework agreement in place), or confirmation that tier rates have not changed from the previous year.

Example response as follows –
Tier rates have not changed from the previous year
Or
Tier 1 (0-4) = £259.00
Tier 1 (5-10) = £282.00
Tier 1 (11+) = £327.00
Tier 1 (16+) = £372.00

Tier 2 (0-4) = £284.00
Tier 2 (5-10) = £307.00
Tier 2 (11+) = £352.00
Tier 2 (16+) = £397.00

Tier 3 (0-4) = £310.00
Tier 3 (5-10) = £333.00
Tier 3 (11+) = £378.00
Tier 3 (16+) = £423.004

DCC does hold information relating to Independent Fostering Agency tier rates but deems this information to be exempt under Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 – ‘Commercial Interests’.  This is because:

  • Disclosure of those rates may provide competitive advantage and prejudice the commercial interests of the agencies involved.
  • Disclosure may also prejudice the interests of Devon County Council as fostering placement fees may be increased which could result in reduced value for money to the Council and the people it serves.

DCC is aware that Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act is subject to the public interest test and is confident that the public interest lies in favour of withholding this information at the present time.

4. The number of looked after children in foster care as at 31 March 2019 and of those children, the percentage looked after by independent foster agencies.”

557 (144 in independent fostering agency placements) = 25.9

In the interests of providing advice and assistance, 2017/18 Foster care rates and allowances are provided via the below link:
https://devoncc.sharepoint.com/:x:/s/PublicDocs/InfoMgt/EYYh0TM-ZFxPoFBCSfzN3T8B8-tSNXU6LT5HdxQhSL65Kw?e=SVltpX