how we support you
support and allowance in blaenau gwent
how we support you
We’re here to support you. That means we’ll do everything we can to help you provide a stable and loving home for a foster child.
Even before a child arrives, Foster Wales Blaenau Gwent provides in-depth guidance and training to make sure fostering is the right fit for you and your family. But the support doesn’t end there.
Once you are fostering a child, we offer:
- ongoing guidance from a dedicated social worker
- fostering pay to cover essential living costs
- a community of local fostering families who can share experience
- friendship and social events
- among many more benefits.
It’s important to consider all of the local benefits for a better understanding, before comparing foster carer payments.
Read on to learn more about the fostering support and rewards we offer.
foster care allowance
do foster carers get paid?
Yes, foster carers receive a payment to cover the costs of caring for a child. This amount will vary based on many factors, including
- how many children you foster,
- what age the children are
- and how long you’ve fostered for.
However, being a foster carer isn’t a conventional job. It doesn’t fit into a box. It’s a home-based 24-7 skilled vocation which we support you financially to do.
At Foster Wales Blaenau Gwent we care about children receiving everything they need to thrive, so we split the payment into 3 parts; the weekly child allowance + the carer’s fee + additional payments.
child's allowance
foster carer's fee
additional payments
our commitment to you
Every Local Authority in Wales has signed up to what we call the ‘National Commitment’. This is an agreed package of training, support, and rewards enjoyed by every one of our foster carers in Wales.
local fostering team
You’re not out there on your own. You have a team to support and encourage you, every step of the way.
Support is available at any time – not just inside office hours. We’re dedicated to working as a team with our foster carers, and that means we provide support 24/7. Whatever you need, whenever you need it. We’ll be there.
dedicated supervising social worker
You’ll have skilled and experienced professional social workers on hand, with a fostering team member dedicated to supporting you, your family and your network.
Foster Wales Blaenau Gwent are part of the local authority, working alongside the child’s social worker. This means access to information about the child and other social services departments and closer working links with children’s social workers.
We’ll also cover your membership to The Fostering Network and The Association for Fostering and Adoption (AFA) Cymru. These specialist fostering organisations offer independent support, private advice, guidance, training, and a whole host of additional benefits.
peer support
You’ll also be invited to events and activities designed to bring you closer to other foster families. To give you new experiences, new friendships, and new memories. Experienced pioneer foster carers will support you.
learning opportunities
Our learning and development framework is tried and tested, developed with foster carers and consistent across Wales. Local training courses are a great way to meet other foster carers, and we offer other resources, tools and ways to learn too.
more questions on financial support?
We'll share and explain all the support you can receive. For a full breakdown of the local fostering allowances and financial support we offer, request an information pack.
other support and rewards
a MAX card
Free and discounted admission to attractions across the UK.
Short Breaks
Entitlement to 14 days of respite care (short break) per year.
qualifying care relief
Receive £18,140 from fostering before you have to pay tax.
