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<p>No foster parent should be out of pocket because of their fostering role. The National
Minimum Standards for fostering services are clear that every foster parent should
receive an allowance that covers the full cost of caring for a child. Whilst it is
for fostering services to decide the level of financial support offered to foster
parents in their area, the Department for Education recommends the National Minimum
Allowance (NMA) as a minimum benchmark. No foster parent should expect to receive
anything less than the NMA per week. The NMA is uplifted annually to keep in line
with inflation.</p><p>Over and above the NMA, it is for fostering services to set
their own payment systems. Many fostering services currently operate local fee payments
for foster parents, which is often based on their skills, experience and qualifications,
and/or tier based on the complexity of the child’s needs. Many local authorities also
offer additional allowances for equipment costs or to cover expenses such as travel
or emergency clothing or initial set-up costs.</p><p> </p>
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