The Fostering Network
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About us

Want to learn more about Fosterline? 

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  • What we stand for
  • Contact us
  • FAQs about Fosterline
  • Job vacancies

Thinking of fostering?

If you are thinking of fostering, we have a range of information for you to explore. 

Learn more
  • What is fostering?
  • Why foster?
  • Who can foster?
  • How do I become a foster carer?
  • Fostering quiz
  • Preparing to foster guide
  • Find a Fostering Service
  • Events

Already fostering?

We have a range of information to support you throughout your fostering journey. 

Discover more
  • Preparing to welcome a child into your home
  • Safeguarding
  • Facing an allegation
  • Celebrating and supporting diversity
  • Caring for a child with a disability
  • Caring for an autistic child
  • Attachment and fostering
  • Fostering legislation
  • Fostering and education
  • Fostering and finances
    • Fostering and tax
    • Fostering and National Insurance
    • Tax and other types of caring
    • Registering as self-employed
    • Completing a tax return
    • Fostering and benefits
    • Free childcare
  • Special Guardianship Order (SGO)
  • Training for foster carers
  • Advocacy for children and young people
  • Contact (family time)
  • Facing challenges
  • Complaints to fostering services
  • Transferring fostering services
  • Terms, reviews, and resignation
  • Fostering with pets
  • Fostering and insurance
  • Leaving care

Resources

We have a range of further resources for both current and prospective foster carers. 

See more
  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Preparing to foster guide
  • Counselling
  • Other useful organisations

Fostering Services

Learn more about how we can support fostering services.

Learn more
  • Supporting foster carers
  • Recruitment and retention of foster carers

Our locations

  • England
  • Wales
  • Scotland
  • Northern Ireland

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Useful pages

Find a fostering service Types of fostering Fostering and finances Contact us
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Fostering and finances

  • Preparing to welcome a child into your home
  • Safeguarding
  • Facing an allegation
  • Celebrating and supporting diversity
  • Caring for a child with a disability
  • Caring for an autistic child
  • Attachment and fostering
  • Fostering legislation
  • Fostering and education
  • Fostering and finances
  • Special Guardianship Order (SGO)
  • Training for foster carers
  • Advocacy for children and young people
  • Contact (family time)
  • Facing challenges
  • Complaints to fostering services
  • Transferring fostering services
  • Terms, reviews, and resignation
  • Fostering with pets
  • Fostering and insurance
  • Leaving care

Allowances

When a child moves in with a foster carer, the cost of caring for them is paid to the foster carer in the form of an age-related fostering allowance. This will be calculated by each fostering service. It should also reflect the national minimum allowance calculated on the basis of the minimum amount that any foster carer needs to meet the cost of caring for a foster child.

More details on the national minimum allowance for fostering, introduced by the Department for Education, can be found here.

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Fees or rewards

Many foster care services also pay a fee or ‘reward’ element on top of this allowance, in recognition of the work they do in caring for these children. There is currently no recommended amount for the reward element, and each fostering service will set this separately.

Family Reading

We have a range of advice and information to support foster carers with different aspects of fostering and finances: 

Fostering and tax Fostering and National Insurance Tax and other types of caring Registering as self-employed Completing a tax return Fostering and benefits Free childcare
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Financial worries

Financial difficulties can cause stress and worry. Fosterline offer a free, professional counseling service for foster carers with a BACP accredited Psychotherapist & Counsellor, who is also a qualified senior Social Worker and Family Mediator. To find out more about the service, click here.

The following organisations can provide further financial advice and support:

  • Turn2us is a national charity providing practical help to people who are struggling financially. You can visit their website here.
  • Citizens Advice provide advice and information on a range of financial issues. You can visit their website here. 
Fosterline counselling
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There are many pieces of fostering legislation which are important for both foster carers and fostering agency. We cover some of the most important parts of fostering legislation, here. 

Fostering legislation
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Next Special Guardianship Order (SGO)
The Fostering Network
The Fostering Network
Department for Education

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