Fostering in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is a devolved nation within the United Kingdom. The Northern Ireland Assembly is currently suspended. However, in the Priorities Budget 2005-08, the Government increased priority to fostering by introducing the following proposals:
- An increase for foster care allowances.
- To introduce a salaried foster care scheme thereby attracting more people to foster care.
- To set up a 24 hours, seven days a week support service for foster carers.
- To increase the rate of children adopted to seven per cent of the looked-after population in each HSS trust by March 2006, an increase of three per cent from the 2002 baseline.
- By March 2008, to increase the number of foster carers in Northern Ireland to 1500 from 1178 in 2002.
In March 2006 the Government announced an increase in the rates of allowance for foster carers in Northern Ireland as part of the planned investment of £6 million over the next two years.
There are 1,600 children and young people living with 1,200 foster families on any given day in Northern Ireland. The Fostering Network estimates that a further 350 foster families are needed to meet current needs.
