How Much Do You Get For Fostering

[LouiseB1]

Me and my husband have been interesting in fostering for a while now and we’ve just started to look into it in more detail. We’re finding it difficult finding out exactly how much you get paid to foster with an agency. Does anyone have any info?

[barry1010]

Does this help?
https://simplyfostering.co.uk/how-to-be-a-foster-carer/fostering-allowance/#:~:text=On%20average%2C%20national%20Private%20(Independent,short%20and%20long%20term%20placements.

[AuntPollyGrey]

I don't think how much you get paid should really be your main concern!

A lady in our village fosters and gets between £400 - £600 per week per child.

[barry1010]

I think the pay does come in to it, APG - everyone knows that it is very expensive caring for a child.

[nwgreenhalgh]

It's quite a tricky question to answer because the amount will vary depending on the agency, where you live, how many children you take and the nature/behaviours of some of those children. You may want to speak to a few different agencies before you make your decision to see which one "feels right" for you and your husband.

[AuntPollyGrey]

barry// I think the pay does come in to it, APG - everyone knows that it is very expensive caring for a child.//

I said it should not be their main concern -not that it should not be a concern.

Yes, I'm quite aware how much it costs to care for a child -four actually - and I would have loved to have been paid £2K a week to look after them but had to do it for free as I'm their mom! :-)

[barry1010]

You are no different from most other moms, APG. Having your own children is very different from fostering, though. It's not something I could do for any amount of money, much as I love kids.

[SparklyKid]

I know someone who fostered a child for years. The father left the child at aged about two. She could have adopted the child but it was far more lucrative to foster, made a small fortune.

[Bobbisox1]

I have every admiration for those that Foster a child for the right reasons

[Baldric]

It's all about the money!

[Baldric]

It's all about the money!

[SparklyKid]

I agree Bobbs. There are many couples who foster many many children at different times.

This lady I mentioned just had the one for over twenty years.

She often said that she would not adopt as she would financially lose out.

[Bobbisox1]

Whilst I accept raising a child is expensive and those that do foster need help financially , but can't help thinking this OPs header is sending out the wrong message

[MartinMillar]

My parents used to be foster carers and you got paid based on the level the child was, you also got an allowance for clothes, Christmas, birthdays and holidays.
It was open to severe abuse with councils being ripped off.
I hope they have changed it

[Prudie]

While it's an interesting topic I could be ultra cynical and point out OP joined today and then nwgreen posts their first answer.

[sherrardk]

Anybody who’s first question about fostering is ‘how much do you get’ should be automatically excluded from doing so.

[bednobs]

I actually disagree. For some foster children, looking after them is a full time job (and therefore you wouldn't be ABLE to work as well). Children with physical or emotional disabilities are far more likely to be the children that need fostering. My friend is a foster carer and the child she has at the moment cannot go to school (in normal time, not because of covid) and therefore the money she gets was one of the paramount considerations when deciding if it was the right placement or not

[Peter Pedant]

fostering is god s work
and so good luck
I dont see that you need to take a vow of poverty to show how much you wanna foster ( but that is me )

One of my neighbours fostered three to keep them together
( and we couldnt wait for them to get taken away or arrested - but we COULD recognise they needed a stable background. They didnt limit themselves to robbing neighbours houses but stole and smashed up the foster fathers car) - but we Knew. I photographed one examining my front tyre after he had hammered a nail into it to see if it had worked.

so good luck

[Willd1]

it depends if you go through the council https://www.gov.uk/apply-foster-child-council or through a private agency https://www.swiisfostercare.com/fostering-with-swiis/swiis-fostering-allowance/