Increased fees and enhanced training offer proposed for Swindon’s foster carers

It is hoped that an increase in fees, as well as enhancements to the training programme and more therapeutic support for local foster carers, will not only show the Council’s current foster carers how much they are valued, but also attract prospective carers to consider fostering with their local authority.

In 2022/23 the Council spent £21.6m on placing an average of 265 children in homes away from their family. Providing care for one child costs £81,300 per year on average. Recruiting and retaining more council-employed foster carers will result in more local homes for children and young people closer to their family, friends and school. It also reduces the high costs involved in having to place children and young people in residential care settings or with foster carers employed by private companies, which are often located far away from Swindon.

The average foster carer payment is proposed to increase to £572 per week, an increase from £374 currently. As carers develop their skills, their payments will also increase. Under the proposals, a carer at the highest skill level who is looking after a young person with complex issues would receive an allowance of £42,020 per year, up from the current fee of £24,628.

Eileen Koppoe, who has been a foster carer with Swindon Borough Council for 12 years, said: “Foster carers are an integral part of the team caring for children and, as foster carers, we are committed to providing care and stability for children. Receiving better financial compensation for our work, skills, time, and experience will not only encourage and motivate us to continue, but will also send out a positive message to all that the work we are doing matters greatly. This in turn will benefit the children or young people we are caring for in Swindon.

“Many of us have been given the opportunity to work with other local authorities but we have chosen to remain with Swindon. This is because we are devoted to caring for Swindon children and young people who are our priority.

“To enable foster carers to achieve and maintain that professional status, it is vital to continue to invest in training and provide the correct working partnership. This will make foster carers more confident in their work of caring for Swindon’s children.”

The local authority needs at least 25 more carers every year. Anyone who is interested in becoming a foster carer should visit www.swindon.gov.uk/fostering. The team run regular information sessions that people can pop along to in order to find out more about what fostering is all about, the support they’ll receive and understand more about how the application process works.

There are also different types of care such as Supported Lodgings, which is looking out for an older child, who is often in college or employment, who still needs someone to come home to, support them to cook and learn adult skills. The Council is also looking for carers who have the time and space to let parents with children with high needs have a few hours away.

Councillor Paul Dixon, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, said: “I am in awe of the dedication and determination shown by our carers. They make such an important difference to children and young people’s lives, by giving them the support and guidance they need to grow.

“We recently ran a survey among our existing foster carers and have used their feedback to inform the proposals. We know that people don’t become foster carers for the money, but we recognise they also couldn’t do it without the money, so I’m pleased to see these proposals, which look to increase the payments we give our wonderful carers, being brought to Cabinet.

“This will hopefully help us to increase the number of in-house carers we have, reducing our reliance on placements with independent agencies which come at a much higher cost.”

The Council’s Cabinet meeting will take place at 6pm on Wednesday, 12 July 2023.