Council raises weekly payments and adds tax reimbursements to tackle foster care shortages in the South London borough.
Croydon Council has announced new benefits for foster carers. Standard payments have increased from £210 to £325 per week per child, with enhanced payments for experienced carers reaching £450.
In addition, a new specialist category for children with complex needs will pay £600 per week per child. The measures have been introduced to help carers manage rising living costs and retain them in the borough.
According to the latest figures, Croydon currently has 146 fostering households and needs 20 more each year to meet demand. What’s more, pay rates were last reviewed in 2022, before higher energy and food costs began to squeeze budgets.
‘Foster carers do an amazing job in our borough and it is right that their pay is competitive and meets the rising cost of living,’ Jason Perry, executive mayor of Croydon, said. ‘Becoming a foster carer can be a really rewarding experience, with the opportunity to really transform the lives of our vulnerable young people. I hope that these changes will help Croydon to retain our foster carers and attract more – improving the experience for children in care.’
From April, foster carers will also get council tax reimbursements based on how long they have cared for a child. Carers who have fostered for three years will receive a £1,500 annual retention payment, paid on the anniversary of their approval.
Christine Claire, a foster carer for Croydon Council, has hailed the changes as ‘fantastic’ and said they will be ‘beneficial because of the increased cost of living and will help us to support our young people,’ she said.
Claire, who mostly cares for teenagers, added: ‘I support them to reach their full potential, especially teenagers who are often misunderstood. I see them growing in confidence and self-esteem and building their self-worth for when they go out into the world. It is wonderful to be able to support them.’
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