How much do foster carers get paid?
What do you think is the most frequently searched question when it comes to foster care? ‘How much do foster carers get paid?’ is certainly up there as one of the most common Google Searches.
As an Independent Fostering Provider, we wouldn’t want money to be the main reason why people enquire. When speaking to prospective carers, we need to make sure that they’re interested in becoming a foster carer for the right reasons – not only because of the pay. We need to know that they’re compassionate, warm, patient and kind, and money aside, want to change a child’s life for the better. That’s why we’ve never publicly shared the full details around foster carer pay – until now.
If you have any questions about pay that are not covered in this blog post, please call our carer enquiries team on 0330 173 3920 or email carer.enquiries@five-rivers.org
So, why have we decided to share foster carer allowances?
Well, there are several reasons…
- Many people believe they can’t afford to foster
Our own research has shown that many people believe they cannot afford to foster. Some people are completely unaware that foster carers are paid at all. We feel it is our duty to address this misconception. Left unchallenged, it could present a huge barrier to fostering that needn’t be there.
- It empowers people to make an informed decision about whether to give up work
When applying to foster, people must decide whether to continue in their current job part-time or give up work completely. We recognise that fostering is a huge commitment and lifestyle change – it is our responsibility to ensure financial information is accessible so people can weigh up their options and make an informed decision.
- The lack of awareness around fostering as a ‘career’ contributes to the shortfall in foster carers
Often people don’t consider fostering to be a ‘career’ and therefore don’t consider it. This lack of awareness contributes to the huge shortfall in carers needed to support children and young people. We like to think of fostering as a vocation, rather than a job – but with all the benefits you get from a good employer: regular training, supervision, support, career progression and paid respite.
In summary, we want our foster carers to feel secure in the level of support they receive – both in terms of practical training AND reimbursement. Our support package must provide carers with the peace of mind they need to do their job well – because that’s what really matters.
So, what do foster carers earn?
As an independent agency and a social enterprise, we offer a highly competitive fostering allowance. For almost all foster carers, this will be tax free and will not affect benefits you’re currently receiving.
There are many different types of fostering and fees vary depending on the type of fostering you undertake. You can read more about the types of fostering here.
Fostering is not ‘just a job’
Whilst we do want people to recognise the professionalism of the job at hand, we do not want people to think of fostering as a job. Yes, we have established that foster carers are paid and yes, there are opportunities for progression. However, it’s clearly not your usual 9 – 5.
We see fostering as a vocation, not a ‘job’; it’s something people do because it gives them a sense of purpose. It’s a selfless act of care and compassion for some of society’s most vulnerable. In short, it’s one of the most incredible things you can do to change the life of a child or young person. And the pay? That’s just one of the measures we put in place to help you do it.