Scotland

The Scottish Government has announced today that foster and kinship carers across Scotland will receive an updated allowance to help them care for the children and young people they look after. 

The Fostering Network has campaigned with our foster carer members for this change for many years, so we welcome this long overdue announcement today.  

Today, Humza Yousaf has been nominated as the new First Minister of Scotland. The Fostering Network have written a letter outlining our number one priority ask for 2023 – to implement a national minimum allowance, now.  

Scotland is the only country in the UK without a national minimum allowance and we at The Fostering Network have been campaigning for its implementation for many years. 

The Fostering Network is delighted to welcome Jacqueline Cassidy as its new director for practice and Scotland. 

We welcome the recommendations set out in the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) final report published yesterday that sets clearer expectations at a national, regional and local level in England, Scotland and Wales to ensure that all children in care are living in placements that meets all their needs.    

The failure to follow through on the manifesto commitment made by the Scottish Government to end the postcode lottery in foster care allowances could have an impact on children in foster care and foster carers across Scotland.  

Research published today by the UK’s leading fostering charity, The Fostering Network, found that the amount foster carers receive to spend on 0-4-year-olds in their care can vary by as much as £6,346 a year even in neighbouring local authorities, ranging from £77.96 to £200 per week.