Fostering Allowances 2023/24
Case reference FOI2023/00653
Published 3 May 2023
Request
We are seeking to understand the way in which your foster carers are being paid in your service.
The department which would know this information would be within social services in your fostering team. The information we require is:
For your mainstream foster carer population (general/unconnected carers) the basic weekly allowances paid for 2023/24 per age bracket for all age bands. NOT including any fee/reward element for foster carers.
Please detail any other allowances paid for children living in mainstream foster care in addition to their weekly allowance, for example religious festival, holiday, birthday, other.
Please detail the amount paid and the frequency foster carers can receive these.
Please detail any additional allowances or fees paid to for children with additional support needs or disabilities. Your current fee/reward structure for mainstream foster carers (NB this is different to allowances for the child).
Please include: i) Details of the levels/bands for carers and how much you pay per week at each level/band. ii) The number of mainstream foster carers on each level/band, including those that receive no fee on top of the child's allowance.
For your kinship foster carer population (connected carers) the basic weekly allowances paid for 2023/24 per age bracket for all age bands. NOT including any fee/reward element for foster carers.
Please detail any other allowances paid for children living in kinship foster care in addition to their weekly allowance, for example religious festival, holiday, birthday, other. Please detail the amount paid and the frequency foster carers can receive these.
Your current fee/reward structure for kinship foster carers (NB this is different to allowances for the child). Please include:
i) Details of the levels/bands for carers and how much you pay per week at each level/band.
ii) The number of kinship foster carers on each level/band, including those that receive no fee on top of the child's allowance.
Your 2023-24 weekly allowances for former foster carers looking after young people in 18+ Staying Put arrangements, broken down by year 1, year 2, and year 3 if necessary.
Your 2023-24 weekly fee payments for former foster carers looking after young people in 18+ Staying Put arrangements, broken down by year 1, year 2, and year 3 if necessary.
Response
We are seeking to understand the way in which your foster carers are being paid in your service. The department which would know this information would be within social services in your fostering team.
The information we require is:
For your mainstream foster carer population (general/unconnected carers) the basic weekly allowances paid for 2023/24 per age bracket for all age bands. NOT including any fee/reward element for foster carers.
Please detail any other allowances paid for children living in mainstream foster care in addition to their weekly allowance, for example religious festival, holiday, birthday, other. Please detail the amount paid and the frequency foster carers can receive these.
Please detail any additional allowances or fees paid to for children with additional support needs or disabilities.
Your current fee/reward structure for mainstream foster carers (NB this is different to allowances for the child). Please include:
i) Details of the levels/bands for carers and how much you pay per week at each level/band.
This information is publically available on the council website and can be viewed via the following link:
https://herefordshire.disclosurelog.co.uk/case/81428eaa-2c6a-470a-a51e-ab2f2fb020b4
As such we consider this information to be exempt under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 because it is reasonably accessible to you via other means. Please take this letter as a refusal notice under S17 of the Act.
You will note that the 'New Foster Care Rates' document states that the rates are effective from 1 January to 31 March 2021, however, I am advised that the same rates are also effective for 2023/24.
ii) The number of mainstream foster carers on each level/band, including those that receive no fee on top of the child's allowance.
Level 1 Fee - 7
Level 2 Fee - 40
Level 3 Fee - 19
No Fee - 2
For your kinship foster carer population (connected carers) the basic weekly allowances paid for 2023/24 per age bracket for all age bands. NOT including any fee/reward element for foster carers.
Please detail any other allowances paid for children living in kinship foster care in addition to their weekly allowance, for example religious festival, holiday, birthday, other. Please detail the amount paid and the frequency foster carers can receive these.
Your current fee/reward structure for kinship foster carers (NB this is different to allowances for the child). Please include:
i) Details of the levels/bands for carers and how much you pay per week at each level/band.
This information is publically available on the council website and can be viewed via the following link:
https://herefordshire.disclosurelog.co.uk/case/81428eaa-2c6a-470a-a51e-ab2f2fb020b4
As such we consider this information to be exempt under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 because it is reasonably accessible to you via other means. Please take this letter as a refusal notice under S17 of the Act.
You will note that the 'New Foster Care Rates' document states that the rates are effective from 1 January to 31 March 2021, however, I am advised that the same rates are also effective for 2023/24.
ii) The number of kinship foster carers on each level/band, including those that receive no fee on top of the child's allowance.
Level 1 Fee - 19
Level 2 Fee - 12
Level 3 Fee - 1
No Fee - 4
Your 2023-24 weekly allowances for former foster carers looking after young people in 18+ Staying Put arrangements, broken down by year 1, year 2, and year 3 if necessary.
Your 2023-24 weekly fee payments for former foster carers looking after young people in 18+ Staying Put arrangements, broken down by year 1, year 2, and year 3 if necessary.
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.