Poor pay for foster carers

One-third of foster carers have seriously thought about giving up fostering because they can no longer afford to continue, the Fostering Network is warning today.

In its new report, Love Fostering – Need Pay, the charity found that 36 per cent of foster carers have seriously considered leaving fostering because the fees do not provide a living wage. With an existing shortage of 10,000 foster carers and an ageing workforce, the prospect of an exodus from fostering is of extreme concern.

The report also reveals that three-quarters of foster carers surveyed earned less than £229.20 per week (equivalent to the minimum wage for a 40-hour week), including approximately half who received no fees at all. Unsurprisingly, two-thirds of foster carers think their fees are insufficient reward for the job.

Report author Madeleine Tearse said: “It’s simply unacceptable that so many foster carers are required to work for free or such low pay. Fostering has changed over the years, and foster carers are now expected to carry out skilled and demanding work to a professional standard, which should be recognised with professional rates of pay.

“Low pay is not helping fostering services to recruit and retain the numbers of foster carers needed - the resulting shortage of foster carers means that many children are not being found the right home first time, and are suffering from instability and disruption if they are subsequently moved.  Also, it cannot be in the best interests of looked after children that many are placed in impoverished households.

“Individual fostering services determine their own pay rates. We are calling for decent pay across the board, but this will require support from national government administrations. “