Foster carers in Bury are to set to get a 50 per cent off their council tax bills and increases in payments of up to 34 per cent as the council looks to boost the numbers of carers. The halving of bills, which if councillors approve, will start next year, is part of measures to attract more foster carers and retain the existing skilled and experienced carers.
Currently there are 371 children in the council’s care. Bury Council said that had placed ‘significant demand pressures’ on the availability of foster care placements in Bury. They said as a result, too many children are being placed outside Bury in independent foster agencies (IFAs) or residential placements.
Those placements are significantly more expensive and mean children are forced to move away from their home area. The council’s spend on IFA foster homes for Bury children in care has risen by nearly £1M in the past two years, a 35 per cent increase.
The council said that in the last three years they had only lost two fostering households to an independent fostering agency and one more household had recently indicated their intention to resign and move to an independent agency. However, a report to cabinet, said there was a need to increase allowances for foster carers.
It said: “If we do not strengthen our carer offer, we will not be in line with our partner Greater Manchester authorities or be able to compete with independent fostering agencies and our dependence on private providers will only increase.”
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The council also has 140 care leavers aged 18 years or older, and needs to ensure sufficient options are available for them to stay with foster carers after they turn 18 or to enable them to live in a supported lodgings placement.
Bury approved foster carers receive professional fees and maintenance allowances for each child they care for, but the rates for the professional fees have not been reviewed for more than 10 years.
The council cabinet has now agreed to increase maintenance allowances by between 6 per cent and 34 per cent depending on the age of the child, and approved considerably higher rises in the allowances paid for holidays, festivals and birthdays.
The cabinet has recommended to full council that carers also receive a council tax discount of 50 per cent, starting in 2024/25. Coun Lucy Smith, cabinet member for children and young people, said: “Our foster carers do a tremendous job in giving a caring, loving home to young people across Bury. But we recognise, especially during this cost of living crisis, that we need to do more to support them.
“By improving our professional fees, maintenance allowances and incentives, we will attract more prospective foster carers to Bury and retain the skilled and experienced carers we have. “This will enable our children and young people to remain in their familiar locality and school, and ultimately lead to the best outcomes for them.”
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