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Don't condemn foster carers to financial hardship, top charities urge minister

05 February 2007

Seven top child care charities are today (5 February) urging the Welsh Assembly Government not to condemn foster carers in Wales to financial hardship by introducing an inadequate system of national fostering allowances.

For many years hundreds of foster carers have been out of pocket as a result of fostering, with levels of allowances - theoretically designed to cover the basic costs of looking after a fostered child - varying widely across the country. In order to address this postcode lottery, the Welsh Assembly Government is currently consulting on national minimum rates for all foster carers. However, early indications suggest that, as a result of flawed calculations, the level of allowance the Welsh Assembly Government proposes will be far too low, condemning foster carers to continued financial hardship.

In a letter sent to minister of health and social services Brian Gibbons today, the charities said: "There is already a shortage of at least 750 foster carers in Wales. We believe that setting minimum allowances at an inadequate level will undermine efforts to improve their recruitment and retention. Consequently it will do nothing to help build a world class workforce that can deliver much-needed stability and improved outcomes for looked-after children.

"We urge you to reconsider before fixing allowances at such low levels and condemning foster carers to continued financial hardship. The Fostering Network's recommended allowances are widely recognised as the benchmark for expenses incurred as the result of fostering, and as such provide the best existing basis for setting national rates.

"A national system of allowances which fails to guarantee foster carers full reimbursement for their spending on fostering will be a backwards step, and a real betrayal of both carers and the children they care for."

The letter was signed by representatives of the Fostering Network Wales, BAAF Cymru, Barnardo's Cymru, NCH Cymru, NSPCC Cymru/Wales, Tros Gynnal and Voices from Care (Cymru).

Download Word document, 28 kB

Notes to Editors

The allowances proposed by the Welsh Assembly Government at the start of the consultation process range from £99.56 per week for the youngest children and rise to £112.89 for 16+ (based on 2004-05 income levels). However, these rates exclude spending on rent or mortgages, travel and the costs associated with running a bigger car, and general household bills such as electricity, gas and insurance. The consultation process ends on 2 March 2007.

The Fostering Network's recommended minimum allowances for foster care are widely recognised as the benchmark for expenses incurred as the result of fostering, and for 2006-07 range from an estimated £115 to £198 per week (£108 to £191 for 2004-05, for comparison purposes).

There are 3,200 children and young people living with 1,900 foster families on any given day in Wales. A shortage of 750 foster carers means that fostered children too often face multiple moves, have to live miles from friends and family and are split up from brothers and sisters. This instability and disruption are extremely damaging in terms of children's ability to make and maintain relationships and to fulfil their academic potential.

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For more info contact 020 7620 6437/16 or media@fostering.net