Blackburn with Darwen Council is to dramatically increase the weekly payments to foster carers who agree to continue to live with them after becoming 18.
The sum is to increase from £177.33 to £247.85 in a bid to reduce a decline in the number of families agreeing to the arrangement.
Lancashire County Council which provides children’s services to 12 boroughs including Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale- is also taking steps to boost foster caring.
Approval of the Blackburn with Darwen rise has been given by the authority’s children’s services boss Cllr Julie Gunn.
In a report she said there was a duty on councils to support young people aged 18 to 21 to continue to live with their former foster carers once they turn 18 known as ‘Staying Put’.
Both the foster carers and the young adult need to agree to the arrangement including any young adult continuing to live with a kinship foster carer.
Staying Put arrangements are for young adults aged between 18 and 21.
In March 2024 the total ‘staying put’ payment received weekly by foster carers rose to £177.33 made up of weekly maintenance allowance paid by Blackburn with Darwen Council to foster carers £95.25; rent paid to foster carers by young adults£67.08; additional contribution from young adult to foster carer £15.
Cllr Gunn’s report says: “Over the last two years the amount of care leavers staying with their foster carers in these arrangements has declined.
“Foster carers have shared with us that the above allowance does not adequately cover the costings required to maintain the care leaver’s home as fostering allowances for a child in our care would be more.
“In order to promote care leavers remaining in their home post 18 the new proposed rates are: weekly maintenance allowance paid by Blackburn with Darwen Council to foster carers £165.77; rent paid to foster carers by young adults £67.08; additional contribution from young adult to foster carer £15 – a total of £247.85.
“It should be noted that the cost of Staying Put is significantly less than if a care leaver still required care and support post 18.”
Lancashire County Council is to encourage more of its staff to become foster carers by giving them extra time off and allowing them to work flexibly.
The move would see foster carers on its payroll given paid time off – wherever possible – to settle a child into their household, attend statutory meetings in relation to children in their care and undertake training linked to their role.
The authority children’s boss Cllr Cosima Towneley said fostering had been “very squeezed” in recent years “with fewer people coming forward”.
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