Foster Parent Benefits

In addition to the range of wrap around support that we offer to our Foster Parents, we feel it's important that you are given sufficient financial payments and benefits to cover the cost of caring for a child, and enable you to commit to Foster Parenting as a full-time career - Fostering allows you to work from your own home and change the life of a young person.

Respite

Each year you will be entitled to a 21 nights respite per young person - utilising our large pool of experienced Foster Parents or your own friends and family if you prefer. 14 days of your Respite allowance can also be re-claimed if unused.

FosterTalk Membership

Free Membership of FosterTalk for all By the Bridge Foster Parents. This includes:

• Legal support
• Tax & personal financial advice
• Over 4500 discounts - from insurance to holidays and theme park tickets
• Regular newsletters and industry updates
• Counselling & medical helplines
• Education advisory service
• Fostering advice
• Allegation support
• Access to Foster Carer's Independent Support Service (FISS)

Long Service Rewards

We've teamed up with Red Letter Days, to provide Foster Parents with the opportunity to have a memorable experience as a ‘Thank You’ from By the Bridge for all the hard work.

Giving our Foster Parents a day out where they can feel special is a way for us to show our appreciation. For each of the years a Foster Parent qualifies for the reward, they receive a Red Letter Day voucher and a cash bonus!

Refer a Friend to Foster scheme

We will reward you each time you refer a friend or family member to us, who go on to Foster with By the Bridge. Even if you are in the process of transferring to us yourself!

Children's activities and family events 

We arrange activities and events for the whole family throughout the year - organised and paid for by By the Bridge. From craft afternoons, summer fun days, theme park trips, festive parties and group outings. There is always something to take part in, every school holiday. It’s all about strengthening relationships and building the team that we’re all proud to be a part of.

Foster Pay and Allowances

The fees we pay our Foster Parents vary according to the type of Fostering, but you'll always receive competitive Fostering allowances for each child that you look after.

You’ll also receive generous allowances to help towards all the added costs of looking after a young person, which can include: travel, clothing, equipment, and festive gifts - we know how expensive holidays can be, so to help you take family vacations together we also give you extras to help you with these extra costs too.

Typically a Foster Parent could earn from £24,000* a year, tax free, Fostering one child. That's the equivalent of a £29,440* taxed salary. As Foster Parent gains more experience they are able to progress in their career and have the opportunity to progress to higher pay grades. 

If you have additional experience or training, you may wish to join our more specialist Fostering services (including Parent and Child Fostering; Fostering children with complex needs and/or disabilties; or Fostering of sibling groups.)

For more information or to ask any questions, please Contact Us

*Based on a child in place for 52 weeks in the 2021/22 tax year