Overview: Offering a brief introduction to parent and child fostering, we’ll also look at the benefits of being a foster carer with The Fostering Company, explore how much foster carers get paid in Newcastle in a month, and provide a breakdown of fostering allowances along with insight on how you can get started in parent and child fostering.
An introduction to parent and child fostering
Foster carers who provide parent and child fostering open up their homes to help guide a parent or parents to care for their own babies or children. This can be for a few weeks, a matter of months or more, depending on the circumstances. Parent and child fostering, is also sometimes known as mother-and-baby fostering, but carers may be asked to offer a home to a father and their baby or a family needing extra help. Circumstances may differ, but your role will always be a crucial one, and could help a family to stay together.
Whether it’s a young mother who doesn’t have the extended family support she needs to get started or a mother with learning disabilities who needs some support to learn the essential skills of parenting, as a parent and child fosterer, you’re both an extra pair of hands to help care for child and a mentor. You will observe and coach parents so they can become responsible and safe parents with the aim of keeping the family together long term.
How to get started with parent and child fostering
If you are considering fostering and think parent and child fostering would be a good fit for you, we’d be delighted to chat with you and walk you through the application process. For this specialist type of fostering, each foster carer needs to complete a fully funded certified training course. This will prepare you to support the parents you welcome into your home. We deliver parent and child foster training in the north east as part of your application process. To get started, we’d suggest you further explore the types of foster care needed, so you can think about what will be a good fit for you and your family.
A breakdown of fostering allowance
The amount you receive as a foster carer depends on factors such as the ages of the children staying with you and the type of foster care. It’s made up of two elements, which are maintenance and allowance. This is set out by the government and for parent and child fostering, you’re likely to receive multiple allowances.
Maintenance covers things the child uses and needs, such as gas, electricity, and clothes. This part of your fostering fee is not taxable.
Allowance is a foster carer’s salary or wages. This part of your fee is taxable.
Tax relief is offered at a special rate for foster carers by the government; this allows you to earn more money before you need to pay taxes.
How much does a foster carer get in Newcastle?
We believe it’s vital that you feel financially secure so you can focus on providing the best care possible. Let’s take a look at what foster carers in your area are paid in a bit more detail…If you choose to join The Fostering Company community as a parent and child foster carer, you can expect to receive a payment of upwards of £836.05 each week. If you are wondering how much foster carers get paid a month, you should know this fee rises if more than one child, or parent, is supported by the foster carer. In most cases this allowance is tax free. For more information about pay and allowances, visit our payment and benefits page, or speak with our carer enquiries team who can provide further guidance.
Support and benefits for north east foster carers
As an independent agency with a determination to help children to receive the best possible care, we can offer pay, training and support beyond that of local authorities and other larger national foster care agencies.
If you live in the north east and are considering becoming a foster carer, you should know we have deep roots in this region. But we’re also a proud member of the Five Rivers Child Care family. Five Rivers is a social enterprise committed to transforming young people’s lives. This partnership gives our carers access to fantastic benefits. The support we offer foster carers includes the following:
- A dedicated social worker and a 24/7 call line for help and support
- FREE specialist ongoing training delivered by our team to prepare you for different areas of fostering
- A local office and support groups in the north east so you can meet with other foster carers and families in a friendly setting
- Access to therapeutic care for children and parents to help them heal and support if families are not able to remain together long term.
You can learn about the fostering process here on our website. When you are ready, you can make an application. We will walk you through the process from application and assessment to approval, so you know what to expect at every stage. Get in touch to arrange a chat with our friendly team, and we can help you start your fostering journey with us today!