Hillingdon Council, in outer London, is offering foster care recruits up to £1,500 per week alongside a 25 per cent reduction in council tax when looking after a child in care.
Dubbed “the most competitive package in London”, benefits offered also include £1,000 off utility bills, a winter fuel allowance and a family Merlin and leisure pass. This equates to an annual salary of up to £72,000, according to the council.
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Local authorities band together to recruit more foster carers
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Councils turn to inducements to attract scarce fostering families
There are currently 365 children in the council’s care, however, England is facing a national foster care shortage.
Hillingdon Council’s foster care service is rated “outstanding” by Ofsted.
Jeanette Isaacs, aged 59, from Ruislip, has been fostering with Hillingdon Council for six years.
She said: “The cost of living has gone up so much, so the council’s new payment and benefits package will be a good incentive for many people to sign up. I foster because my heart is in it and I wanted to enhance a child’s life, but the new offer shows further recognition for the valuable job we do.
“I’ve got two grown up children and my divorce had a huge impact on us all. It was a traumatic experience, but we came through it stronger and I felt we had something special that we could offer someone. I felt it was important to give back and fostering is very rewarding – you can really make a difference.”
Councillor Susan O’Brien, Hillingdon Council’s cabinet member for education and families, said: “We are so proud to launch this incredible new payment and benefits package for our dedicated, hard-working foster carers and we hope it will encourage more people to find out more about fostering.”
Meanwhile, eleven local authorities across the East of England have joined forces in a bid to collectively recruit more foster carers to look after some of the region’s most vulnerable children.
Hertfordshire County Council is taking part in a new initiative for fostering under the banner Foster East. There are 975 children and young people ranging from babies to 17-year-olds who need homes in the county.
The Foster East initiative which is funded by the Department for Education is a new, collaborative approach to foster carer recruitment and support. Councils will work together to provide more comprehensive training, support and best practice.
