Purpose

1.   
That the skills payments and maintenance allowances
are increased in line with the NMA rates per age band for
2023/24.

2.   
That Foster Carer Skills payments are increased in
line with the NMA uplift of 12.43% in-line with the Cabinet’s
approval October 2022.

Decision

RECORD OF OFFICER EXECUTIVE DECISION

 

Date of Decision:

March 15th 2023

Title:

Increase in Government National
Minimum fostering allowance rate and impact on to RMBC
rates.

Decision Maker:
(Including Job
Title)

Nathan Heath – Acting Strategic Director, Children &
Young Peoples Service
 
 

Details of Specific Cabinet
Delegation
or Delegation contained in the
relevant Sub-Scheme of Delegation.
 

Cabinet Fostering Fees and
Allowances 2022 – October 2022
 
Recommendations
That approval be given to make
the following changes to improve the financial offer for Foster
Carers to support retention and recruitment of Foster
Carers:
 
1.   
To change the service model to provide a financial
package for foster carers based on the needs of the child/ young
person as well as the skills of the foster carer
2.   
To make the following changes to the fees and
allowances that foster carers receive:

a)   
100% of skills payment to be paid for all children
placed

b)   
Increase to foster carer mileage rate from 40p per
mile to align to employee rates, currently 45 pence per
mile

c)   
Agreement to the revised Day Care payment

d)   
Uplift of the skills payments aligned to the annual
inflationary uplift in the national fostering maintenance
allowance

e)   
Agreement to the complex care payment allowance
e.g., for Step down to Foster Care and Emergency Foster Care for
Teenagers in crisis
 

Decision:

1.   
That the skills payments and maintenance allowances
are increased in line with the NMA rates per age band for
2023/24.

2.   
That Foster Carer Skills payments are increased in
line with the NMA uplift of 12.43% in-line with the Cabinet’s
approval October 2022.
 

Reasons for the
Decision:

The
Government set a National Minimum Allowance (NMA) for weekly child
maintenance fostering rates based on age bands, these rates are
increased annually.  The 2023/24
national increase has been set at 12.43%.  In 2021/22 and 2022/23 the national increase was
1.76% & 2.31% respectively.
 
This report considers the available options in increasing
Fostering, Special Guardianship Orders (SGO), Child Arrangement Orders (CAO),
Adoption Allowance (AA), respite, day care, and Fostering Skills
payments in line with the governments recommended minimum
uplift.
 

Details of alternative
options considered and rejected:

Option 2 – not recommended –

·      
do not apply an uplift to allowances which could
bring about legal challenge

·      
Against the Cabinet approval do not increase
fostering skills payments
.
 

Conflicts of interest
declared by any Cabinet Member consulted by the decision maker
which relates to the decision:

None

Dispensations
Granted:
(If any)

None

Reports or parts of
reports considered

Increase in
Government National Minimum fostering allowance rate and impact on
to RMBC rates.
 
Report Author: Neil Hardwick
– Finance Manager CYPS

 
I
certify that this is a true record of the executive decision to
approve the increase in Government National Minimum
fostering allowance rate and impact on to RMBC
rates.
 
 

Signed by the Decision Maker  
Dated:
15 March 2023      
 
Name:
Nathan Heath                                       
Job
Title: Assistant Director, Education
& Inclusion