Foster Care Allowances

The request was partially successful.

The Fostering Network

Dear Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council,

Please could you tell me your 2021-22 weekly foster care allowances for all age bands, NOT including any fee/reward element for foster carers.

Please detail any allowances that ALL foster carers can claim in addition to their weekly allowance, e.g. holiday allowance or mileage.

Please could you tell me your 2021-22 weekly allowances for former foster carers looking after young people in 18+ Staying Put arrangements, broken down by year 1, year 2, and year 3 if necessary.

Yours faithfully,

Holly Barnes

Accesstoinformation, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Dear Holly

Thank you for your request for information regarding ‘Foster Care Allowances’ (reference number 07487). Your request was received on the 24/06/21 and I am dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and/or Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, I will let you know. A fees notice will be issued to you, and you will be required to pay before we will proceed to deal with your request.

Please note that our response to Freedom of Information Requests (FOIs) may take longer for us to complete at the moment because of COVID-19 implications.

The ICO has advised that although they are unable to extend statutory timescales, they will advise people that they may experience understandable delays when making FOIs, EIRs or SARs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Is your request essential?

While your statutory right of access remains unchanged, our resources may be diverted away from usual compliance or information rights work at this time. Therefore, we would ask that where possible, before submitting any requests for information that you check our website first to see what may be already published and available.

Prioritising essential services

If you cannot find the information please be aware that under current circumstances and our need to prioritise essential services to ensure the wellbeing of our residents, you may experience a delay in your response.

Following guidance from the ICO, we will keep requestors informed of any delays and will respond as soon as resources allow. We will also be keeping up to date on guidance from the ICO as the situation changes to ensure that we comply with any changes or amendments to information rights practice.

For further information on your information rights at this time please see ico.org.uk.

If you have any queries about this request, please contact Information Governance on 01254 585852. Alternatively, our email address is [Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council request email]

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Kind Regards,

Fatima Makken
Apprentice Information Governance Officer
Email: [email address]
01254 585852

show quoted sections

Accesstoinformation, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

2 Attachments

Dear Holly

Thank you for your request for information regarding ‘Foster Care Allowances’ (reference number 07487); Please see our response attached/below. If you have any queries regarding your request for information then please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Additionally to the attached carers are able to claim mileage which is paid at a rate of 0.42p per mile.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request for information and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision, you should write to: Information Governance Manager, Information Governance, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, 3rd Floor, Old Town Hall, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 7DY or email [Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council request email]
 
If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by the Council. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF. 
 
Please find attached our 'have your say' feedback policy. 

Kind Regards,

Fatima Makken
Information Governance Officer
Email: [email address]
01254 222527

show quoted sections

The Fostering Network

Dear Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council,

Thank you for your response. However, please can we have some further clarity on one of the responses.

Please can you confirm your 2021-22 weekly allowances for former foster carers looking after young people in 18+ Staying Put arrangements, broken down by year 1, year 2, and year 3 if necessary.

Yours faithfully,
Eve Hatcher
The Fostering Network

Accesstoinformation, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Dear Eve,

Thank you for your request for information regarding 'Foster Care Allowance’ (reference number 07823). Your request was received on the 12/10/21 and I am dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and/or Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, I will let you know. A fees notice will be issued to you, and you will be required to pay before we will proceed to deal with your request.

If you have any queries about this request, please contact Information Governance on 01254 585852. Alternatively, our email address is [Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council request email].

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Kind Regards,

Heather Wolstenholme
Information Governance Officer
Email: [email address]
Tel: 01254 585651

show quoted sections

Accesstoinformation, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

1 Attachment

Dear Eve

Thank you for your request for information regarding ‘Foster Care allowance’ (reference number 07823); Please see our response attached/below. If you have any queries regarding your request for information then please don’t hesitate to contact us.

The allowances paid to foster carers under staying put arrangements are linked to the level of payments they were receiving as regular foster carers. As such they would be unique to the individual circumstances involved.
The current scope of staying put payments are between £240- £400 per staying put placement.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request for information and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision, you should write to: Information Governance Manager, Information Governance, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, 3rd Floor, Old Town Hall, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 7DY or email [Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council request email]
 
If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by the Council. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF. 
 
Please find attached our 'have your say' feedback policy. 

Kind Regards,

Fatima Makken
Information Governance Officer
Email: [email address]
01254 222527

show quoted sections