While fostering is undoubtedly a challenging role, it is also incredibly rewarding, providing an opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of vulnerable children and young people.
As a foster carer, you have a unique opportunity to provide stability and support to a child during a critical time in their life. Many foster carers develop lifelong connections with the children they care for, and learn a lot about themselves along the way!
Footprints will be there at every step to provide support and training.
How much do foster carers get paid?
Foster carers receive a weekly allowance per child to cover expenses such as food, clothing, transportation, and activities. The minimum allowance set by the government in England ranges from £137 to £240 per week per child, depending on the child’s age and location.
Many foster carers also receive a professional fee on top of the allowance, especially when fostering through an independent fostering agency (IFA) like Footprints, or for specialised roles. Fees can vary widely:
- • Carers with independent fostering agencies may earn between £450 and £1,000 per week per child, depending on the child’s needs and the level of care provided
- • Specialised fostering (e.g., parent-and-child placements or therapeutic fostering) typically offers higher payments
As an independent fostering agency, Footprints is able to offer a competitive fostering allowance of up to £500 per child per week, depending on the needs of the children.
