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Allowances increased for foster carersPeople who act as foster carers for children and young people in North Yorkshire are to receive increased allowances to help cover the rising cost of living.
Fostering North Yorkshire has agreed a 2.3 per cent rise in allowances, in line with the increase in the Consumer Price Index for 2011. Depending on the ages of the children in care, allowances will now range from £134.51 to £313.75 a week. In addition to the basic weekly payments, carers also receive clothing allowances when appropriate - for example, when a child has to change school or a young person gets a job that requires specialist clothing, tools or equipment. Increases have also been agreed for family placement allowances, which enable some young people placed in foster care to remain with their former foster carers up to the age of 21. Being a foster carer in North Yorkshire makes you part of a highly valued community. Fostering North Yorkshire is always seeking new people - single or couples - to look after children who, for whatever reason, are unable to remain at home. This may be for weeks, months or even years, depending on the child's need and the circumstances of the foster carers. The service is looking for people from all walks of life and those interested in a wide range of foster care, whether it be short-term or long-term. In particular, Fostering North Yorkshire would love to hear from people who are able to offer a home to teenagers or children of other ages who need to live with their brothers and sisters in foster care. County Councillor Carl Les, executive member for fostering, said: "North Yorkshire's wonderful foster carers provide a dedicated and vital service, and it is important to ensure that they are not left out of pocket as a result. "These increases are the continuation of a broad strategy which recognises the value we place on foster carers and the importance of keeping children in North Yorkshire (ideally within 20 miles of their home, where this is appropriate). "They also support the council's recruitment and retention strategy for foster carers, ensure North Yorkshire remains strong competitively in the region and ensure that cost pressures arising from inflation are contained. "This allows fostered young people to enjoy continuity of support, to achieve economic well-being." Find out about fosteringRegular information evenings are held around the county in Northallerton, Selby, Knaresborough and Scarborough. At these it is possible to meet foster carers and fostering staff and find out more about what makes fostering such a satisfying enterprise. After this, interested parties will be invited to attend preparation sessions and an assessment will take place over the following months. North Yorkshire carers are supported and supervised by a dedicated team of fostering social workers and work alongside other professionals in the field of social care, education and health. The foster carers' valuable contribution to the welfare of children in placement means that they work very much as part of a wider "team around the child". This ensures that plans for the child are progressed by a number of people working with a common purpose. You can also find out more about becoming a foster carer here or contact Fostering North Yorkshire on 0800 054 6989. A foster carer's viewPaul is one of North Yorkshire's foster carers. He says: "I have been looking after the young person in my care for some years now. Whilst some time went by before he settled with me, his progress has been great. "From an unpromising start, he has done very well at school, getting a hat-load of GSCEs and is due to start university in September. "The big reward for me as a foster carer has been how well he has developed his social skills and really built up his relationships This has been a very satisfying part of my life." 2 April 2012 |
Fostering
 Private fostering
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