How much do foster parents get paid?
As a Foster Carer for Lorimer you will receive up to £1,200 per week if you have three children in placement; how much you get per child will depend on the specific needs of each young person. To find out more, please take a look at our Foster Care Pay and Allowances information here.
What Support Will I Receive?
At Lorimer Fostering, we take pride in ensuring our foster carers are well looked after and supported with both our support services and our foster care pay allowance. We understand that fostering, no matter how rewarding, can be a difficult and stressful occupation at times and we can guarantee that you are not alone, we are always there to guide you. Our support extends way beyond than just telling you how much foster parents get paid for their allowance. We want you to be the best carer you can be and so will help you in any way we can.
- Protected Caseloads
Lorimer believe that our carers deserve an intense level of support and in order to offer this we operate with protected caseloads when it comes to the number of foster carer families per Social Worker. This allows our Social Workers to devote more time to each of their carers.
- 24 Hour Support
For you, fostering is a 24 hour a day job, so we like to make sure that we are available for you 24 hours a day too. Whether you need to speak to someone night or day, someone is there for you.
- Paid Respite/Holiday and/or Days Out
Every foster carer and every foster child is different so we recognise the need to be flexible with the respite services that we offer. As a Lorimer carer you are entitled to 2 weeks respite/holiday allowance and/or days out allowance. You can break the 2 weeks (14 days) up as you see fit, for example you can take 1 week’s respite away from fostering plus 4 days additional holiday pay plus 3 separate days out additional pay. It is built to suit each and every carer and their different circumstances. The payment for these are made on a weekly basis over the year.
- Access to Youth Engagement / Resource Workers
We have experienced youth engagement / resource workers that can come and take the young person out on approved activities to give you a break when times are getting a little hard. This resource will be offered on an assessed needs-led basis.
- Mentor Scheme
Taking the journey to being an approved foster carer can be quite nerve-wracking, at times and it is always reassuring to talk to someone who has been through it already. We have a group of experienced foster carers who have signed up to be a mentor should you request it. They will be available to chat on the phone or meet for coffee to talk through any anxieties that you may have about the process.
- Ongoing Learning & Development
Lorimer invests time and resource into learning and development to ensure that you have the knowledge and skills to be the best that you can be. Learning opportunities are offered weekdays (during the day and evenings) and weekends to allow for flexibility of attendance. We also provide online learning via a specialist online fostering learning platform.
- Support Groups
When you are a carer, support becomes vital, especially when it is from someone who knows what you are going through! We run support groups where foster carers meet regularly for coffee to share their experiences and meet new friends.
- Foster Talk Membership Scheme
Foster carers work extremely hard, every day. Lorimer recognise this and want to ensure that we are looking after you too! So, once you are approved as a foster carer with our agency we automatically set you up with a Foster Talk Membership. This membership provides you with access to a whole host of great benefits designed to help you in your role as a Lorimer foster carer.
- Separate Allowances for Birthdays, Christmas or other Religious Festivals
Buying presents can be expensive so we pay you additional fostering allowance, per child, when it is their birthday, Christmas or other Religious Festivals to help with the cost. This are added to your weekly payment to allow you to budget ahead.
If you’re wondering about how much Foster Carers get paid; at Lorimer we offer very competitive payments of up to £1,200 per week if you have three children in placement, on top of all the other excellent benefits. You can find out more about it here.
How Do I Start My Journey?
If you would like speak to someone then, Rachael will be more than happy to discuss any queries with your or arrange an appointment for us to come and see you or you to come and see us. Please call Rachael on 07938 575 738 or email foster@lorimerfostering.com or complete our enquiry form below.