Will the Minister provide an update on when guidance will be issued to local authorities on paying kinship carers a family placement fee?
The Task and Finish Group on fostering fees and allowances, which was set up under the National Fostering Framework, is continuing its work and we are expecting a progress report in the spring. The work to date has included developing options for a revised payment structure for mainstream and kinship foster carers, and the potential financial implications of each model for local authorities. This is a complex piece of work, and any options will need to be properly tested out and costed before any final decisions are taken. We will continue to work with our local authority and other interested parties to ensure a fair deal for all foster carers.