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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jan/30/support-children-foster-carers-agency-councils
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| ‘Support us and children will benefit’: Foster carers on how their role has changed | ‘Support us and children will benefit’: Foster carers on how their role has changed |
| (21 days later) | |
| ‘The amount carers earn when starting out with the council is below minimum wage’ - Jane, 40 | ‘The amount carers earn when starting out with the council is below minimum wage’ - Jane, 40 |
| I wanted a change and to foster in my local area and community. Fostering with a private agency means the children you care for can come from anywhere. That makes continuity difficult when they have to leave the ties they have made in the area. | I wanted a change and to foster in my local area and community. Fostering with a private agency means the children you care for can come from anywhere. That makes continuity difficult when they have to leave the ties they have made in the area. |
| With the agency it was around £700 for a mother and baby and £450-500 for teenagers. Normally with the council it’s about £400 for a mother and baby. I’ve only been with Leicestershire for a few months but now they are telling me that my pay might go down, which would mean a difference of about £350 a week. The amount carers earn when starting out with the council is around £136. That’s below minimum wage. It’s diabolical. | With the agency it was around £700 for a mother and baby and £450-500 for teenagers. Normally with the council it’s about £400 for a mother and baby. I’ve only been with Leicestershire for a few months but now they are telling me that my pay might go down, which would mean a difference of about £350 a week. The amount carers earn when starting out with the council is around £136. That’s below minimum wage. It’s diabolical. |
| You get more support with a private agency and out-of-hours help is more efficient but I want to remain in the area. Local dentists and schools are important for the kids and give them the stability they need. Councils can offer free school dinners and transport but they could save more money by cutting back on the amount they pay out to agencies. I’d like to stay with the council but I may end up moving back to an agency if the pay scales change. | You get more support with a private agency and out-of-hours help is more efficient but I want to remain in the area. Local dentists and schools are important for the kids and give them the stability they need. Councils can offer free school dinners and transport but they could save more money by cutting back on the amount they pay out to agencies. I’d like to stay with the council but I may end up moving back to an agency if the pay scales change. |
| Jane, 40, transferred to Leicestershire county council from private agency Fostering Solutions after six years when the council offered to match the agency pay | Jane, 40, transferred to Leicestershire county council from private agency Fostering Solutions after six years when the council offered to match the agency pay |
| ‘Foster carers should be supported and paid a national, flat rate’ – Married couple John and Amanda | ‘Foster carers should be supported and paid a national, flat rate’ – Married couple John and Amanda |
| All independent fostering agencies should be not-for-profit organisations. At the moment they charge excessive fees and make huge profits for their owners. We’ve been with the council for two years and have experience in emergency, respite and long-term fostering. Being a foster carer is all about the children. It’s about making them happy, safe, making sure they are medically well and part of a loving family. | All independent fostering agencies should be not-for-profit organisations. At the moment they charge excessive fees and make huge profits for their owners. We’ve been with the council for two years and have experience in emergency, respite and long-term fostering. Being a foster carer is all about the children. It’s about making them happy, safe, making sure they are medically well and part of a loving family. |
| Whether a foster carer works for a local authority or an agency the problems are the same. They should be supported and we should have a national flat rate regardless of who you work for. I don’t think we necessarily need to put more money into fostering but we could be more efficient with our current resources. Provide a professional base and you’ll attract more people and the children will benefit the most. We should start with the children and end with the children. Everything else is neither here nor there.” | Whether a foster carer works for a local authority or an agency the problems are the same. They should be supported and we should have a national flat rate regardless of who you work for. I don’t think we necessarily need to put more money into fostering but we could be more efficient with our current resources. Provide a professional base and you’ll attract more people and the children will benefit the most. We should start with the children and end with the children. Everything else is neither here nor there.” |
| John and his wife Amanda were with private agency Clifford House Fostering for three years where they earned £300-350 a week. When they heard it had been taken over by venture capital group Sovereign Capital, they joined Worcestershire county council. Here, a level one carer is paid around £100 per week and a level two carer £200. | John and his wife Amanda were with private agency Clifford House Fostering for three years where they earned £300-350 a week. When they heard it had been taken over by venture capital group Sovereign Capital, they joined Worcestershire county council. Here, a level one carer is paid around £100 per week and a level two carer £200. |
| ‘Now I’m with an agency I get much better personal support’ – Claire, 60 | ‘Now I’m with an agency I get much better personal support’ – Claire, 60 |
| I had short-term, emergency and out-of-hours foster placements but moved [from the council] because I didn’t feel like I was getting enough support. When I was with Hackney council the social workers changed quite a lot. I’d ring them and there wouldn’t be anyone there or they wouldn’t know who your kids are. | I had short-term, emergency and out-of-hours foster placements but moved [from the council] because I didn’t feel like I was getting enough support. When I was with Hackney council the social workers changed quite a lot. I’d ring them and there wouldn’t be anyone there or they wouldn’t know who your kids are. |
| Now I’m with an agency I get much better personal support. We have a social worker visiting every four weeks, there’s 24/7 help on the phone and the kids get to go on more trips. | Now I’m with an agency I get much better personal support. We have a social worker visiting every four weeks, there’s 24/7 help on the phone and the kids get to go on more trips. |
| “Hackney paid £250-300 a week for a kid aged between 0-18, and with Nexus it’s £400. You might get paid more at an agency but you don’t get as much help with Christmas, birthdays and holidays. In Hackney they would pay around £150 for Christmas and birthdays but at the agency it’s only £40 and £10. Fostering is hard work but it’s the best job – just to see a small change in a kid is great. My birth children are amazing and I think fostering has played a big part in that. It’s a commitment and you need a big support network to help with the child in placement. With Nexus I feel like they listen and treat carers like partners. I’d never go back to a council.” | “Hackney paid £250-300 a week for a kid aged between 0-18, and with Nexus it’s £400. You might get paid more at an agency but you don’t get as much help with Christmas, birthdays and holidays. In Hackney they would pay around £150 for Christmas and birthdays but at the agency it’s only £40 and £10. Fostering is hard work but it’s the best job – just to see a small change in a kid is great. My birth children are amazing and I think fostering has played a big part in that. It’s a commitment and you need a big support network to help with the child in placement. With Nexus I feel like they listen and treat carers like partners. I’d never go back to a council.” |
| Claire was a foster carer for Hackney council in east London for 10 years. She joined Nexus Fostering in 2011. | Claire was a foster carer for Hackney council in east London for 10 years. She joined Nexus Fostering in 2011. |
| ‘When we worked with local authorities there were some poor working practices’ - Sarah | ‘When we worked with local authorities there were some poor working practices’ - Sarah |
| After I became pregnant with my youngest child we took a break from fostering. When we returned six years ago we decided it was time for an independent agency. At the moment we receive between £53-67 a day for the children in our care. The agency acts as another voice to speak up for the needs and wishes of the child as well as ensuring our well being as foster carers. When we worked with local authorities we experienced some poor working practices where there was no consideration for the children or their carers. Also the changeover of social workers with local authorities wasn’t good for the children. At least the agency is consistent. | After I became pregnant with my youngest child we took a break from fostering. When we returned six years ago we decided it was time for an independent agency. At the moment we receive between £53-67 a day for the children in our care. The agency acts as another voice to speak up for the needs and wishes of the child as well as ensuring our well being as foster carers. When we worked with local authorities we experienced some poor working practices where there was no consideration for the children or their carers. Also the changeover of social workers with local authorities wasn’t good for the children. At least the agency is consistent. |
| It is a real privilege to be able to care for children who cannot be at home for any reason. Being able to see children grow in every aspect of their development under your careful nurturing is a real gift. It however has a lot of challenges such as accessing the resources and support needed; working in a task oriented culture; and knowing that you are considered to be a fellow professional.” | It is a real privilege to be able to care for children who cannot be at home for any reason. Being able to see children grow in every aspect of their development under your careful nurturing is a real gift. It however has a lot of challenges such as accessing the resources and support needed; working in a task oriented culture; and knowing that you are considered to be a fellow professional.” |
| Sarah and her husband have over 30 years of experience as foster carers. They fostered with three local authorities in London before joining adoption and fostering charity, Tact six years ago. | Sarah and her husband have over 30 years of experience as foster carers. They fostered with three local authorities in London before joining adoption and fostering charity, Tact six years ago. |
| ‘When I was with the council, a lot of the support went’ - Stephen, 48 | ‘When I was with the council, a lot of the support went’ - Stephen, 48 |
| I decided to transfer to an agency, not just because of the money, although the cuts were making it increasingly difficult to provide a good standard of care for the child I look after. It was the whole package of care and support that was being cut. Fostering is not just a 24/7 job, you sacrifice your whole lifestyle. You never have a break from it. But we do it because we want to make a difference to a child’s life. | I decided to transfer to an agency, not just because of the money, although the cuts were making it increasingly difficult to provide a good standard of care for the child I look after. It was the whole package of care and support that was being cut. Fostering is not just a 24/7 job, you sacrifice your whole lifestyle. You never have a break from it. But we do it because we want to make a difference to a child’s life. |
| I did a lot of research. I was really impressed that Foster Care Associates (FCA) focus on supporting, matching and keeping children in their placements. A lot of local authorities are so stretched that they just want the child placed as quickly as possible. I have already noticed a difference and feel much more supported. When I was with the council, a lot of the support went - I felt down by them, but at FCA I get a lot of phone and email support and there are regular events with other foster carers. I feel they care about me and the children I look after.” | I did a lot of research. I was really impressed that Foster Care Associates (FCA) focus on supporting, matching and keeping children in their placements. A lot of local authorities are so stretched that they just want the child placed as quickly as possible. I have already noticed a difference and feel much more supported. When I was with the council, a lot of the support went - I felt down by them, but at FCA I get a lot of phone and email support and there are regular events with other foster carers. I feel they care about me and the children I look after.” |
| Stephen, 48 fostered with West Yorkshire council for over a decade. After the council made large cuts to the allowances paid for each child a week and only paid 50% fees for second and third children. He moved to Foster Care Associates, one of the biggest private sector fostering agencies in December. In addition to competitive fees and allowances, FCA pays a £500 a year loyalty bonus. | Stephen, 48 fostered with West Yorkshire council for over a decade. After the council made large cuts to the allowances paid for each child a week and only paid 50% fees for second and third children. He moved to Foster Care Associates, one of the biggest private sector fostering agencies in December. In addition to competitive fees and allowances, FCA pays a £500 a year loyalty bonus. |
| Names have been changed | Names have been changed |
| Fostering | Fostering |
| Social care | Social care |
| Children | Children |
| Local government | Local government |
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