In response to yesterday's consultation on national minimum fostering allowances in England, the Fostering Network is warning that the proposed allowance levels are too low and that the Government is letting foster carers down.

Chief executive of the Fostering Network Robert Tapsfield said: "A guaranteed minimum fostering allowance should be great news, as the current ad hoc system is not working and leaves many carers out of pocket. But disappointingly the allowances being proposed today are insufficient to cover the costs of looking after a fostered child, and do not even consider any spending by foster carers on housing, fuel or travel.

"The Government must think again before setting allowances at such disastrously low levels. There is already a shortage of over 8,000 foster carers in England. Introducing these allowances will only serve to make recruitment even harder. As a result, far too many children in foster care will continue to experience instability and disruption.

"We will, of course, be responding fully to the consultation, and are encouraging foster carers and fostering services to make their views clear too. A national system of allowances which fails to guarantee foster carers full reimbursement for their spending on foster care will be a backwards step, and a real let down for foster carers and the children they care for.

"The Department for Education and Skills has, on 31 January, published a consultation document on a system of national minimum fostering allowances for foster carers in England. The document suggests that all foster carers should receive a weekly allowance starting at £99.56 per week for the youngest children, increasing to £112.89 for secondary school children.

"All foster carers receive a weekly fostering allowance which should cover spending on a fostered child. They are currently determined by individual fostering services, and vary widely across England.

"The Fostering Network recommends a national minimum allowance starting from £112.07 for babies and rising to £193.28 per week for older children; these are widely accepted as the benchmark for minimum expenses incurred as a result of fostering. However, foster carers in half of England's local authorities receive less than this, with some receiving just £50 per week."

Source - the Fostering Network