Foster carers from across Stirling are to meet on Friday to discuss the impact of the cost of living crisis on both themselves and the children they care for.
The union responsible for foster care workers says the crisis is having a “devastating impact”.
And they want the payments available to the sector to be reviewed in a bid to ease the pressure.
The foster care workers branch of the Independent Workers of Great Britain is a union dedicated to empowering foster carers. Naomi Hodges, branch coordinator of the IWGB Foster Care Workers, said: “Foster carers fees and allowances currently fall well below what is required to provide young people in care the best possible start and foster carers dignity and respect through their work.
“The fees and allowances are now acutely vulnerable to the impact of inflation.
“Foster carers have therefore called a meeting to discuss these pressing issues.
“The meeting is open to all foster carers and their families in Stirling, and at the meeting carers will discuss the possibility of launching a campaign targeted at Stirling Council to improve the conditions of foster carers and to increase the child allowance.”
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In the Stirling Council area foster carers receive a weekly rate: £137.08 for 0-4 year olds; £156.15 for 5-10 years; £194.39 for 11-15 years; £236.42 for 16-18 years; and £179.31 for 18 + years. Carers receive a fostering fee of £167.51 per week.
A short break fee follows the child, meaning if a child moves to a short break placement, the short break carers receive the allowance, not the full time foster carer. Both the full time carer and short break carer both continue to receive payment of allowances on the day the child leaves their full time placement and the day the child return to their full time placement.
All carers are entitled to 28 days holiday. Foster Carers are entitled to full payment of fees for the 28 days holiday period but they don’t receive the allowance, which is paid to the short break carer. Foster carers who do not take their full 28 days holiday entitlement (ie they take a child on holiday with them) can claim an additional fee payment for it, to up to 14 days.
Carers receive additional payments for the child’s birthday, Christmas and summer holidays.
Post placement retainers are paid on a scale system = from one week of fees if the placement ends after three months to six week of fees if ending after 12 months.
One carer said: “Fees and allowances haven’t had any increase in last 10 years.
“Until 2019 there were three levels of carers. Following review in March 2019 these were removed.
“All level 1 carers were increased to level 2, level 2 carers remained the same and Level 3 was removed.
“The telephone allowance which had been removed in 2018 without consultation was then meant to be reinstated but this has never happened.”
The meeting is taking place at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Stirling at 10.30am on Friday, September 23.
