The recommended national minimum allowance rates for foster carers in England for 2016-17 published by the Department for Education show there will be no increase.
“While we cannot expect dramatic and immediate change in educational outcomes for young people in care, it is positive to see a consistent improvement over time. There is clearly still a long way to go, but we know that being in foster care can improve educational outcomes; University of Oxford research (2015) showed that educational outcomes are higher for fostered children compared with those living on the edge of care.
The Reclaim Care digital platform, created as part of the Department for Education funded Inspiring Voices project, allows children, young people, and care leavers, to share their successes in the form of a meme and to upload it into the gallery of achievements.
Sara Lurie, director of The Fostering Network Scotland, said: ‘Scotland is taking a progressive stance when it comes to the higher education of care experienced young people, and we must say that this is a positive step in the right direction.
The guidance contains clear information about how fostering services should support foster carers financially. It is thanks to The Fostering Network’s campaigning that this requirement was written into the law.