Why foster with us?

We offer all our foster carers continuous training so that you never stop developing and will be fully equipped to support our foster children through whatever life throws at them. 

You’ll be given lots of opportunities to attend courses, both in person and online, tailored to fit in with childcare commitments, better your skills and gain formal qualifications. We’ll even pay your travel and parking expenses.

For each child you foster, you will receive the following weekly allowance to meet the day to day expenses of caring for a child:

In addition, you may also receive a weekly fee based on our ‘payments for skills’ model. This is based on your previous childcare/work experience and time commitment to fostering.

Level One Household

General entry requirements: A spare bedroom and a desire to care for children and young people.

Financial support: Weekly allowance only.

Commitment required: Primary carer can work up to full-time hours but must make appropriate childcare arrangements.

Level Two Household

General entry requirements: A spare bedroom and some experience of childcare e.g. parenting / looking after other’s children / paid or voluntary work in childcare.

Financial support: Weekly allowance plus weekly fee of £134.96 per child.

Commitment required: Primary carer can work up to full-time hours but must make appropriate childcare arrangements.

Level Three Household

General entry requirements: A spare bedroom, level two experience, plus the ability to take more challenging children with more complex needs.

Financial support: Weekly allowance plus weekly fee of £191.19 per child.

Commitment required: Primary carer can work but must make appropriate childcare arrangements.

Level Four Household

General entry requirements: A spare bedroom, and significant formal childcare experience, plus the ability to take more challenging children with complex needs. You also need the ability to reflect upon professional experience and relate this to the fostering task. E.g. three years fostering experience of children with complex needs. Employment in childcare or related experience such as nursing, youth work or teaching.

Financial support: Weekly allowance plus weekly fee of £247.42 per child.

Commitment required: Primary carer can work but will need to be able to meet all fostering requirements.

Additional financial information

Most foster carers do not pay tax on their fostering income due to the Qualifying Care Relief scheme. 

Foster carers are self-employed and have to submit a tax return at the end of the financial year. An end of year income statement is provided by the council. This can be done through the online Self Assessment tax return at no cost.

Foster carers qualify for Class 2 National Insurance Contributions at £2.95 per week. This provides access to state maternity benefits, a state retirement pension and state bereavement benefits. 

Foster carers can apply for Class 3 National Insurance Credits at the end of the tax year. This counts towards state retirement pension only. 

Foster Carers may qualify for Working Tax Credits (dependant on income).

Our teams provide local support groups for foster carers, including:

• your own fostering social worker
• membership to the Leeds Foster Care Association
• membership to The Fostering Network
• Support from Foster Talk
• foster carer support groups across the city
• the latest information on our work and the services we provide
• up to 14 days paid holiday entitlement
• the opportunity to join a Mockingbird Family Hub

Finally, if there’s ever an emergency outside of standard working hours there is an emergency support line staffed by an experienced member of the fostering community all hours, every day of the year.

We also offer these other benefits:

• Home and contents insurance to cover the unlikely event that a foster child ever damages your property or possessions.
• Free adult Active Leeds gym membership for foster carers.
• Free junior Active Leeds gym membership for any birth and foster children aged 8-18.
• Free junior swimming lessons for foster children.
• Mileage expenses (over 25 miles) where it relates to a foster child.
• Setup costs to cover a foster child’s bedroom.
• Up to 21 days paid holiday every year, for level 4 carers.
• Regular updates about our services and what we’re up to as a team.
• Extra allowances for foster children’s birthdays, an annual religious holiday and the summer holidays.
• Support groups for birth children.
• Regular fostering activity days.
• Children’s residentials.