The #CostofFostering campaign
In the wake of a cost-of-living crisis, The Fostering Network is calling on governments across the UK to provide urgent funding to cover the cost of fostering, so children and young people do not miss out.
The issue
Foster families are currently receiving much less than they need to support the children and young people in their care to achieve their best possible outcomes. The Fostering Network has campaigned for foster care allowances over its nearly 50-year history.
The current national minimum allowances (NMAs) set by governments across the UK are not enough to cover the full costs of caring for a child and supporting them to thrive. The rates are based on out-of-date research, have not been keeping pace with inflation and are not aspirational for our young people.
Paying in line with the government's NMA is not statutory, nor is it monitored nationally. This results in inequality for children across the UK due to the variation in financial support available. Many foster carers have to dip into their own pockets to cover the costs of caring and this is not acceptable. This has been an issue for foster carers for many years, well before the current cost-of-living crisis.
Insufficient allowances are putting unnecessary pressure on fostering households. As the number of children entering care continues to rise, it is essential that we support foster carers and ensure there are the right number with the range of skills and knowledge to meet the needs of the children who need them most.
The Government are currently failing children in care, as well as the foster carers who provide them with a loving, secure and nurturing home.