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Story published on November 14, 2002
County boosts fostering allowances
Derbyshire County Council's cabinet has agreed to increase the allowances paid to foster carers.
It follows consultation with the county's 431 carers on how best to spend an extra £500,000 allocated to the fostering service from the social services budget for 2002/2003.
The authority asked for their views on eight proposals to increase allowances and fees, extra payment for carers who gain qualifications and meeting costs like travelling expenses.
Responses were received from 142 foster carers who supported the proposed changes. Now members of the authority's cabinet have agreed to implement the changes across the range of allowances paid to foster carers with immediate effect.
For example, basic foster care allowances would rise by (previous figure in brackets):
Different levels of allowances are paid to foster carers who look after a relative, who look after more than one child, those who offer care to disabled youngsters and people who offer part or full day care.
Under the new arrangements, foster carers who gain NVQ level 3 training will be given a one-off reward of £250 while travelling expanses will also be paid for specified journeys.
Councillor Anne Western, the county council's cabinet member for health and social care, said: "Foster carers play a vital role in providing a stable and loving home for young people who are in the authority's care.
"We need to ensure that we can continue to recruit new carers and retain existing ones and raising allowances was the preferred option when we asked existing foster carers for their views."
Mrs Western added that the authority would continue to meet with foster carers to make improvements to the service.
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