The amount foster parents make each week for looking after children in Reading has been disclosed.

Parents can receive hundreds of pounds for looking after children who have ended up in care because of family difficulties.

But the amounts foster parents can actually get to pay for the day-to-day care for looking after these children was not explicitly known until now.

Foster parents are given £156.90-£270.66 per week per child to look after them until they are 18 years old.

These amounts are called fostering allowances, which are meant to cover the expenses such as food, clothing, hobbies, transport, outings and babysitting costs.

Amounts vary depending on the area of the country. You can see how much in weekly allowances foster carers can make in Reading below:

The allowances are paid on a fortnightly basis.

The figures have been disclosed following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by The Fostering Network, a charity which helps support foster carers.

The charity also asked the council to disclose whether foster parents can get any extra allowances on top of the weekly rate received.

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Examples of increased allowance would be for holidays and travel linked with care.

In response, a council information officer replied: “Holiday allowances are incorporated in the weekly all-inclusive fee but one-off payments are available at discretion of Registered Manager or Responsible Individual.

“Weekly child allowance includes payment for 40 miles, any child/placement

related mileage above this is paid at £0.40 per mile.”

Additionally, foster carers can earn £10 per hour for attending training sessions.

Finally, The Fostering Network asked how much families are paid weekly for those aged over 18 who still want to stay with their carers.

This arrangement, called ‘Staying Put’ was formed by The Children and Families Act 2014, which made it the duty of local authorities in England to advise, assist and support fostered young people to stay with their foster families when they reach 18, if both parties agree.

It was made into law following lobbying by The Fostering Network, which is states is “one of the proudest moments in the charity’s 40 year history.”

Those foster carers who continue to look after the people who grew up with them  receive £251.37 per week for the first year of ‘Staying Put’ care.

That goes down to £201.37 (minus £50) in the second year and to £151.37 (a further £50) in the third year – therefore it reduces to £100 in the last year.

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The fostering allowance is separate from the fosterers fee, which is effectively a wage for the carers.

According to the Reading childrens services website on fostering, there are three fee levels 1-3), based on the knowledge, skills, experience and training of a foster carer.

Level 3 foster carers can earn up to £425 per week or up to £22,100 per year.

Amounts vary depending on the number of looked after children.

Reading childrens services are run by Brighter Futures for Children, which is owned but independent of Reading Borough Council.

Anyone curious about becoming a foster carer can email fostering@brighterfuturesforchildren.org or call 0118 469 3020.