how we support you

support and allowance in newport

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 Newport 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.

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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 Newport it’s important to us that children get everything they need to thrive, so we’re splitting the payment into 3 parts: the weekly children’s allowance + carer’s fee + extra payments.

Child's Allowance

In Newport the child allowance payment is £204-£255 per week, depending on the child’s age. This part of the payment is given for the specific purpose of buying anything the child needs, such as food, clothes or toiletries along with paying additional household bills.

Foster Carer's Fee

Fees are paid on top of allowances in recognition of a foster carer’s time, skills and experience. In Newport, The foster carer’s fee range from £139 to £183.

Extra Payments

In Newport, we also pay a birthday allowance, Christmas allowance, mileage costs (45p per mile) and we provide set up equipment. You’ll also be entitled to qualifying care relief which means you can: Tax arrangement when you foster receive £18,140 from fostering before you have to pay tax

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.

Foster Wales Newport Team photo

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.

Supervising social worker and foster carer

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 Newport 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.

You’ll also receive membership to The Fostering Network and The Association for Fostering and Adoption (AFKA) Cymru offering independent support, private advice, guidance and training.

Social worker and foster carer

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.

We also offer peer support groups such as Men Who Care which offer support and connection events for male carers.

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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.

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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.

request an information pack

other support and rewards

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Blue Light Card

Foster carers are eligible for Blue Light Card offering discounts.

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NCC foster carer ID

Free gym and swim access for foster carers, foster children and your own children. Also, access discounts at many venues including theme parks.

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foster friendly policy

Employees of NCC who also foster for us have an additional 5 days leave to use to support their role as foster carer.

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local therapeutic services

Access to local therapeutic services, e.g MyST & FSS Therapeutic Service.

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family activities

Social events for foster carers, their family and foster children – summer fun days run by the fostering team throughout school summer holidays & annual appreciation events held in May.