Discussion in relation to differing scenarios - assessing carers who have financial difficulties, through to the financial difficulties once fostering
- All agreed they undertook a template when assessing applicants in relation to their income, and outgoings - most agencies do not repeat this level of scrutiny at any review
- Lots of households are struggling due to inflation and cost of living rises
- Carers struggle when they are in between having children placed
- Carers give up work to foster and rely on savings when no children placed
- Carers cannot afford to work - however, this can impact on their availability to foster - matching considerations
- Difficult for single carers who need an income and not reliant on a partner
- Carers who are approved for more than one child, and have been assessed as carers who can meet the needs of more than one child - resistance from LA re placing alongside - discussion re “solo” arrangements but the reluctance to pay additional for this
- Carer who had to talk of giving notice as the LA only wanted their child placed, her approval terms were for more children
- Uplifts that are agreed - not enough to increase carer allowance
- People who work for themselves / self-employed and the stress and worry if they are ill and unable to work
- Agencies like a problem solving approach and talked about if can see and understand the difficulties have more evidence to consider how they can be supported - encourage carers to be transparent
- Most applicants agree to bank accounts being seen at point of assessment - and happy to agree and share at this stage - the worry is when they become resistant once approved
- Some of the scrutiny for some applicants has led to withdrawing from the process
- Agencies talked about payments plans, ccj, bankruptcy - and how this is considered in the assessment - or how some applicants are counselled out
- Finance forms not always completed well enough - sw completing a form and this can be uncomfortable to delve into such detail - may not ask the additional questions or seek to see all the other costs such as leisure, petrol, social elements of spending etc - tend to record the main things such as utilities etc
- Hidden costs - often not declared or discussion not developed
- Joint applicants - point about one person not knowing what their partner earns and this is not shared between them - this raised concerns for many in the group
- Allowance - and being split - child care element and professional allowance - can be vague how this is being spent -covering of household costs - the lack of clarity can lead to difficult conversations
- Chart - an agency has a breakdown of what is expected to be spent on children each week - categories - leisure xx, transport xx clothing xx - this way if the carer has not had to spend money on clothing for the week, the money for this section can be accumulated for a more expensive week - this has worked well when carers have asked for additional money for a child’s hobby - using the spare money from this category to fund an occasional more expensive item etc
- This was seen as a really good way to do things - however, some of the more longer term agencies would struggle to introduce this - would have lots of resistance and carers may be leaving due to the feeling of lack of trust
- Supervision - use of this to ensure talking about how things are going, seeing the home and the food, seeing children alone and seeing their clothes, toiletries and rooms - and ensuring that children are being treated the same as carers own children
- Unannounced visits - also supports this view of how monies could be spent in the family home and with children
- Foster carer agreement and review process - is a reminder for carers to share if there are any changes
- Good supervision encourages carers to be honest and also workers to pick up on any stress (open mind - this could be due to financial worries - credit card debt can be common)
- Children knowing about the allowance - some agencies are explicit with some children re the allowance - and work with carers on what this should look like, however this can bring conflict as children may “demand” the monies but need to be reminded that this is not possible or what it is intended for
- Family lifestyle - is a consideration - all have different values, different priorities for spending our money - is the money being spent on children reflective of how everyone lives their lives together in the family unit
- What are people's motivations - for money, for spending
- Panel often question if someone can “afford” to foster - what is enough? - if there is no evidence of people not managing what they have then why is this a concern?
- Equally - the importance of knowing that families can afford a roof over their head - otherwise this will impact on stability for children
- Good enough parenting - expectations around this - allowance allows for more
- Parents of children - and allegations or concerns that carers are being “paid” to care for their children but they question or complain re their child not getting what they need
- Allegations - discussion point about future allegations - maybe children who grew up start to question what they had as a child in foster care - leave with “savings” but this is a fraction of the child care allowance - may ask for evidence of the spending as they may argue that they did not have what they should have - or treated differently to carers own child
- Standards of care - and subtle differences - holidays for foster carers and their own children, standards of rooms, gifts, eating different meals - carers v children - exploring the reasons around this
- Some carer may be financially motivated - agencies have used the financial assessment as a “tool” to help see if carers are really spending more than they are receiving - an opportunity to use this in a positive way to demonstrate how they might need more help - or this has also led to carers not raising their allowance as they are well compensated
- Review - all agencies consider lifestyle in the review but not many do a full financial assessment
- 3 yearly checks - some complete or are going to consider completing a full financial overview as part of 3 yearly review of checks - undertaking a financial update supports an understanding of increased bills (as not the same as when might of applied to foster and earnings might not have gone up - so finances might have become more strained - the original financial overview is likely to be very different
- An agency have a breakdown of the spending expectations - and some of the headings are in “red” - this means that the red areas will be discussed in more detail and require evidence of how this part of the allowance has been spent (some of the other areas where recommended amounts are suggested are not under this level of scrutiny and are a guideline)
- Resource panel - some agency have a level of contingency re monies and how can support - helpful for a presentation of what the diffs are, and how can they be eased, not indefinite but as support for a short period and reviewed
- Loans - some agencies offer this - and the payments are taken from foster carer allowance at a sensible level so not to impact on carers income
- Discussion re we do not have plan b if we are not paid - yet we expect carers to have this if they do not have a child - and are waiting for us to match
- Some agencies include a higher rate to compensate for times carers might not have a child - maybe this needs to be explicit with carers so they can see this ongoing commitment to support them at times of hardship
- Allegations - some agencies pay the professional element for 6 or 8 weeks
- Hard to recruit carers and there are many that want to care and love children - common sense approach - what is adequate, enough
- DLA - this requires a separate discussion, also enhanced payments to meet additional needs - and reasonable to see where this is going
- Markel insurance - advice to record the spendings on children each day
- Monthly budget record form - completed in some agencies
- Some complete and some refuse - how do you enforce
- What is the scale of the problem - are carers genuinely in financial difficulties - members not saying it is a big problem, but helpful to know how can support those that are, that are clearly doing a great job
- What would children like us to talk to carers about - re finances ?
- Professional curiosity and respectful uncertainty
- Things can be superficial - children well dressed - might be a statement for a family, that might be their priority - examples “show home”
- Single and low income families - access to benefits - universal credit, job seekers (however, if refuse a job as doesn't fit with fostering this is difficult as fostering is not seen as a paid job)
A.O.B
- Can carers take a break from fostering and still be a foster carer until 2025?
- General feelings in the short time left was they should resign, keep in touch and make them welcome in an ongoing way and encourage them to re-apply when they can commit to the role - undertake the assessment but some of the history etc would not need to be repeated
- If the carers choose not to resign (should be encouraged to as this is the most positive for them and easier for all) then the agency would have to consider terminating their approval - on what grounds ? - In the review process are you able to evidence the carers ongoing availability for supervisions, for training, pdp, willingness to work alongside the agency etc - how can you evidence this for such a long period of time.
