Purpose

The Cabinet Member for
Integrated Children’s Services to:
 

APPROVE the proposed changes to
the rates payable and charges levied for Children’s Services
in 2025-26.

 

NOTE
both the changes to the rates that are set by the
Government/external agencies: Inter-agency charges and Essential
Living Allowance and; any charges to other Local Authorities for
use of in-house respite residential beds are to be calculated on a
full cost recovery basis.

 

DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Children, Young
People and Education, , totake relevant
actions, including but not limited to finalising the terms of and
entering into required contracts or other legal agreements, as
required, to implement the decision

 
Background:
This
decision revises the rates payable and charges levied by this
Council for Children’s Social Care Services from 1 April
2025
 
The
recommendation report will distinguish between those rates and
charges over which Members can exercise their discretion, and those
which are laid down by Parliament.
 
The
rates payable and charges levied for Children’s Services are
reviewed annually, with any revisions normally introduced from the
start of the new financial year.
 
Some
of the increases are directly linked to the published Department
for Education fostering rates, which are reviewed by the Department
annually
 
The
proposed decision supports both the key priority of
“Levelling up Kent” and “New Models of Care &
Support” within the ‘Framing Kent’s Future (2022-26)’. Along with “Securing Kent’s Future –
budget recovery strategy”. 
Recruitment and retention of our in-house foster and support offer
and providing appropriate financial support to our permanency
arrangements is crucial in developing and sustaining cost effective
placements options for our vulnerable children. Along with
supporting families to support children through the use of Direct
Payments to be as independent of greater state support. Funds are
included as part of the draft Medium Term Financial Plan
2025-28.
 

Decision

As Cabinet
Member for Integrated Children’s Services, I
agree to:
 

a)    
 

i.     
The weekly Foster Care Maintenance allowance is
increased to:
 

All placements under 2 years
old

£203.54

All placements 2 to 4 years
old

£211.08

All placements 5 to 10 years
old

£232.62

All placements 11 to 15 years
old

£266.00

All placements over 16 years
old

£310.15

 

ii.    
The weekly Foster Care Reward element is increased
to:
 

Non-related placements 0 to 8
years old

£150.53

Non-related placements 9 to 18
years old

£285.92

 

iii.  
The weekly Foster Care Disability Enhancement is
increased to:
 

Standard

£85.78

Enhanced

£114.37

 

iv.  
The weekly Foster Care Skills Based Payment is
increased to:
 

Skilled (Level 2)

£26.98

Advanced (Level 3)

£67.39

 

v.    
The weekly Emergency Foster Carer Retainer payment
is increased to:
 

Retainer

£285.92

 

vi.  
The one-off payment to Emergency Foster Carers
towards additional essentials for newly arrived unaccompanied
asylum seeking children:
 

One-off (clothing &
toiletries)

£100.00

 
 

vii. 
The hourly Sessional & Day Care payments
increase to:
 

Sessional Work

£12.71

Day Care

£12.71

 

viii.        
The rates for Mockingbird Hub Home Carer payments to
be set at:
 

Standard weekly
payment

£710.44

Social Activities additional
payment

£100.00

 

ix.  
The sessional rate for Kent Fostering Panel
attendance:
 

Panel Chair

£421.89

Panel Member

£158.21

 

x.    
The Foster Carer Mileage Rate will remain at 45p per
mile in line with KCC staff.
 

xi.  
The adoption hospitality allowance for foster carers
will be set at £25.00 per day.
 

xii. 
The additional rates for the Step Across to
Fostering Scheme to be set at:
 

Settling in Period (one-off
payment)

£5,000

Retention Payment
(4th Month one-off payment)

£2,500

Retention Payment
(8th Month one-off payment)

£2,500

Retention Payment
(12th Month one-off payment)

£2,500

Retention Payment
(18th Month one-off payment)

£2,500

Retainer (weekly
payment)

£285.92

Vacant Bed (weekly payment max.
4 weeks)

£285.92

 

xiii.        
The Kent Supported Homes (Supporting Lodging
payments to hosts) is increased to:
 

Standard Support (per
week)

£185.84

Enhanced Support (per
week)

£309.72

Complex Support (legacy cases
only) (per week)

£200.00

Mother and Baby Arrangement
Support (per week)

£371.66

Outreach support (per
hour)

£12.71

Rent (16/17 year old and 18+
who are not eligible to claim benefits) (per week)

£86.72

Rent (University non-term
time)

LHA**
rate

Staying Put Extended Foster
Care Rate

Various**

*LHA
– Local Housing Authority
**Various – the rate will depend on circumstances and
agreed in line with the Staying Put policy.
 

b)   
Updates to the Kent Fostering Payment Policy for
2025-26, an overarching policy document to set out all foster
payments.
 

c)   
NOTE: The
rates which are dictated by external agencies i.e. Inter-agency
charges and Essential Living Allowance
 

d)   
DELEGATE:
Authority
to the Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education,
or other nominated officers, to undertake the necessary actions to
implement the decision.