Local Authority Payment Flexibility

[MFandDMF]

Hi all, we're just in the fostering registration process. Our local authority would like us to register with them, but agencies are promising us riches beyond dreams of avarice! We don't expect fortunes but neither do we want to feel that we've been taken advantage of. Do local authorities have the flexibility to negotiate payment rates or are they limited to their published figures?

I've never known anyone negotiate fostering allowances, I think they are fixed.

Make sure you look beyond just the rate, so for example have other incentives such as reduced Council tax for carers or more interesting progression opportunities (e.g. becoming lead or hub carers).

You can also negotiate other aspects of the support package, e.g. you might be able to negotiate more nights of respite or more therapeutic input when dealing directly with the Local Authority.

There are pros and cons to LAs Vs private. In some areas there are quite a lot of Local Authority carers available so there's a perception their carers get the "easier" placements (as LAs will place preferentially with their own carers). For example where I used to work almost no under-5s were placed with agency carers as the LA carers took all those placements. The agencies got referred the teenagers and the more complex children that LA carers had turned down. These days I don't think it's necessarily like this everywhere though, it depends.

I’m with an agency.
must admit they are very good. We have lots of fostering support groups, breakfasts, lunches, team building days ( crafting, well-being, activities) they also do things for the kids, movies, escape rooms, trampolining etc.
The payments are around the same as the LA but support is so much better.

Ive got family who work with fc in LA and the support offered is no where near what we get.
I think if carers were treated better by LA there would be no need for agencies.

Thanks for the replies. We have meetings planned with both options. When I look at the rates from our LA I will actually be subsidising them if I use the figures quoted for the 'new to fostering' level. They will either have to very quickly get us up to the top band or we'll be forced into an agency.

The government set payments based on the weekly cost to look after a child. It increases by age.
LAs may add a professional fee in addition to this, based on the skills of the foster carer or if the needs of the child require specialist care.
There is usually additional allowance paid for the child’s birthday, holiday and religious occasions.
I’m not understanding what you mean by you will “be subsidising “ the LA. If you’re comparing fostering rates to working outside of the home, it’s totally different. For example if you have no child in your care you don’t receive any payments, there’s no sick pay or pension. It would be very tricky to foster if this is to be your main source of income as nothing is guaranteed.

Are you looking at both the age rated allowance for the child and the skills fee together? LAs often separate them whereas I think agencies sometimes quote them together, so just make sure that you are comparing like for like.

The other benefit to working for the LA to consider, apart from being first port of call for placements, is that your supporting SW and the child's SW will be working for the same organisation which potentially makes for easier communication.

By 'subsidising the LA' I meant that the annual cost I attribute to fostering a child is more than the LA are offering. I base this on what we do for our grandchildren. I wouldn't treat a foster member of our family any differently. The holidays we take them on, the activities we do every weekend and school holidays, the clothes, meals, bikes and trips etc would all easily surpass what the LA offers.

Fair point. I took the age rated allowance, there is no skills fee as we're new to fostering. I added on the council tax exemption and the allowances for Xmas, birthdays and holidays. The total is disappointingly lower than the costs I have estimated. Unless we're immediately at the top of the skills and experience band the way forwards for us has to be agency.

I'm not surprised you are leaning towards agency if the LA start you off on a £0 skills fee. They are shooting themselves in the foot really, because they will be the ones commissioning - and paying for! - the agency placements.

@MFandDMF

I would just bear in mind that you might not be able to fo all the things you do with your grandchildren with foster children
They may not passports, time after school and weekends may be taken up with family time, you might not get permission from SWs, the children may find too much activity overwhelming
My last child couldn't cope with any type of organised activity with other kids, hated noisy, busy places. We were very restricted in what we could do.

They may not say they have flexibility, but they definitely do.