AQW 5710/22-27


Ms Kate Nicholl
Alliance Party
South Belfast


Tabled Date: 07/02/2024
Answered On Date: 15/02/2024
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health what plans his Department has to review foster carer allowances to ensure parity in allowances provided in other jurisdictions of the UK.


Answer:
On an annual basis, the Department of Health considers an annual inflationary increase to apply to foster care allowance rates applicable in Northern Ireland (NI). This annual review process considers inflationary increases anticipated for the year, within the context of affordability and the financial envelope available.
The review to consider an annual uplift to foster care allowances for 2023/24 was completed following confirmation of the Department’s budget for the 2023/24 financial year, and a 3% uplift increase to foster care allowance rates was agreed and implemented for 2023/24.
As in previous years the review to consider an annual uplift to foster care allowances for 2024/25 or a decision to bring allowances in line with other UK jurisdictions will be completed following confirmation of the Department’s budget for the 2024/25 financial year. As part of that review the Department will also consider the uplifts to minimum fostering allowances awarded in other UK jurisdictions.
Any future annual inflationary increases to fostering allowances or increases to bring foster care allowance rates in line with other UK jurisdictions, will of necessity need to be considered within the context of affordability and the budget available.
It is important to note, the allowance rates in NI and other jurisdictions in the UK may not be directly comparable as the age bandings for rates (to which allowances are applied) are not all co-terminus, and there may also be other differences in the amount of allowances payable and the costs which the minimum allowances are intended to cover.
The Fostering Network’s Foster Care Allowances Survey 2023/24, notes that allowances in England, Wales and Scotland vary considerably and that Northern Ireland is the only nation where all Trust foster carers (which includes kinship carers) received the same rate of allowances.
The Department of Health recognises the essential contribution foster carers make to the lives of children in care. Following the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care Services in Northern Ireland the Children’s Services Reform Board was established. A workstream was initiated under this Board to develop a strategy for fostering in Northern Ireland. This workstream will also consider fostering allowances, and other financial support for foster carers over the coming year.