For the first time foster and kinship carers across Scotland will
receive at least a standard national allowance to support them in
caring for the children and young people they look after.
Funded by £16 million from the Scottish Government, the new
Scottish Recommended Allowance will benefit more than 9,000
children.
The introduction of the payment means every eligible foster and
kinship carer will receive at least a standard, national
allowance which recognises the valuable support they provide, no
matter where they live.
Following agreement with COSLA, this marks the first time a set
rate, which all local authorities must pay, has been introduced
across Scotland.
The weekly allowances, which will be backdated to 1 April 2023,
are:
- 0 to 4 year-olds: £168.31
- 5 to 10 year-olds: £195.81
- 11 to 15 year-olds: £195.81
- 16-years-old and over: £268.41
Children’s Minister said:
“Introducing the Scottish Recommended Allowance for foster and
kinship carers is another important step in our commitment to
Keep the Promise and ensuring all care-experienced children and
young people grow up loved, safe and respected.
“Our foster and kinship carers play such an important role, and
now for the first time every eligible foster and kinship carer in
Scotland will receive at least a standard, national level of
support to help them in ensuring that care experienced children
have the same opportunities as their peers.
“This support will benefit thousands of families, helping them to
provide the standard of living and wellbeing that the children
and young people in their care deserve – and can be used to cover
the cost of things like clothing, hobbies, activities and school
trips.
“The new national allowance will make a significant difference to
the daily lives of some of the most vulnerable children and young
people in Scotland.”
Cllr Tony Buchanan, COSLA Children and Young People Spokesperson
said:
“COSLA is pleased to have agreed the Scottish Recommended
Allowance for our foster and kinship carers. We realise
this has taken some time and are grateful to The Fostering
Network, the Association for Fostering, Kinship and Adoption
Scotland and Social Work Scotland for supporting COSLA and the
Scottish Government in this area.
“COSLA is absolutely committed to The Promise and we realise this
is an important milestone in supporting foster and kinship
families.”
Jacqueline Cassidy, director for Scotland at The Fostering
Network, said:
‘We are really pleased to finally see action taken today to
fulfil the commitment made in The Promise to introduce these
recommended allowances in Scotland, most of which will result in
an uplift in foster carers’ incomes to help them cover the costs
of caring for children. The Fostering Network has been
campaigning, along with our foster carer members, for the
introduction of recommended allowances for some time so this news
is welcome.
‘Foster carers play a vital role in supporting children and young
people who have experienced significant trauma and provide them
with a stable and loving home. It is only right that the
Government ensures they are receiving allowances which cover the
full cost of providing this care.”
Background
Allowances are currently provided by all local authorities.
However, this is decided at a local level and so varies across
Scotland. The introduction of the SRA provides a recommended
allowance that all local authorities must pay as a minimum,
although they can also choose to pay more.
Where local authorities are already paying above the national
minimum allowance, this will continue so that kinship or foster
carers currently in receipt of the allowance will not be worse
off because of this commitment.
In 2020, the Scottish Government committed to The
Promise to ensure that Scotland can be the best place in
the world for care-experienced children and young people to grow
up. Last year, ministers published The Promise Implementation
Plan which sets out how the Government can support the
aims of The Promise.
