asked the Minister for Health the guidelines which his Department issue to health boards to facilitate the determination of fostering rates.
529.
Written Answers. - Fostering Rates.
528.
asked the Minister for Health the fostering rates in operation in the eight health boards on 1 April in 1981 and 1982.
530.
asked the Minister for Health if he has any plans to request the eight health boards to standardise their fostering rates.
I propose to take Questions numbered 528 to 530 together.
There are no specific guidelines issued by my Department to health boards as regards the rates of allowances payable in respect of children placed in foster care. The payment of such allowances is made in pursuance of Article 15 of the Boarding-Out of Children Regulations, 1954. This article requires a health board to provide the funds necessary for the maintanance, clothing and education of any child boarded-out by it and for such other assistance of the child as the board may consider reasonable. Accordingly, health boards enjoy a degree of flexibility in relation to the level of support afforded to foster families.
The rates of allowances paid by the respective health boards on 1 April 1981 and on 1 April 1982 are set out in the attached tabular statements.
It is clear from these statements that the rates of allowances paid by the various health boards show significant variations and I agree that it would be preferable if a greater degree of uniformity in the rates were possible. I therefore propose to ask each health board to review the position in their area towards achieving this objective to the extent that their budgetary allocations will allow.
Foster-care Allowances in operation on 1 April 1981.
|
Health Board |
Age Group |
Long-term Foster Care Allowances |
Short-term Foster Care Allowances (per week) |
Other Allowances |
|||
|
Maintenance (per week) |
Clothing (per week) |
Pocket Money (per week) |
Total (per week) |
||||
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
|||
|
Eastern |
0-5 |
14.84 |
1.71 |
— |
16.55 |
19.00 |
£60 First Holy |
|
5 & over |
14.94 |
2.26 |
1.84 |
19.04 |
19.00 |
Communion £80 Confirmation |
|
|
Midland |
0-9 |
14.35 |
— |
— |
14.35 |
18.00 |
— |
|
9 & over |
16.30 |
— |
— |
16.30 |
18.00 |
— |
|
|
Mid-Western |
0-12 |
10.78 |
1.27 |
— |
12.05 |
12.05 |
— |
|
12 & over |
12.15 |
1.50 |
— |
13.65 |
12.05 |
— |
|
|
North Eastern |
0-5 |
12.00 |
— |
— |
12.00 |
12.00 |
— |
|
5 & over |
14.00 |
— |
— |
14.00 |
14.00 |
— |
|
|
North Western |
0-5 |
16.00 |
— |
— |
16.00 |
16.00 |
— |
|
5 & over |
18.00 |
— |
— |
18.00 |
18.00 |
— |
|
|
South Eastern |
0-8 |
16.90 |
1.44 |
— |
18.34 |
19.75 |
£30 First Holy |
|
8-12 |
16.90 |
1.92 |
— |
18.82 |
19.75 |
Communion |
|
|
12 & over |
16.90 |
2.40 |
— |
19.30 |
19.75 |
£40 Confirmation |
|
|
Southern |
0-5 |
14.90 |
1.15 |
— |
16.05 |
14.90 |
— |
|
5-11 |
17.75 |
1.35 |
29p |
19.39 |
17.75 |
— |
|
|
11 & over |
17.75 |
1.73 |
77p |
20.25 |
17.75 |
— |
|
|
Western |
0-5 |
15.35 |
— |
— |
15.35 |
17.00 |
— |
|
5 & over |
18.30 |
— |
— |
18.30 |
17.00 |
||
|
Eastern |
0-5 |
17.80 |
2.05 |
— |
19.85 |
22.80 |
£60 First Holy |
|
5 & over |
17.92 |
2.73 |
2.21 |
22.86 |
22.80 |
Communion £80 Confirmation |
|
|
Midland |
0-9 |
16.00 |
— |
— |
16.00 |
20.00 |
— |
|
9 & over |
18.00 |
— |
— |
18.00 |
20.00 |
— |
|
|
Mid-Western |
0-12 |
13.78 |
1.27 |
— |
15.05 |
15.05 |
— |
|
12 & over |
15.15 |
1.50 |
— |
16.65 |
15.05 |
— |
|
|
North Eastern |
0-5 |
12.00 |
— |
— |
12.00 |
12.00 |
— |
|
5 & over |
14.00 |
— |
— |
14.00 |
14.00 |
— |
|
|
North Western |
0-5 |
16.00 |
— |
— |
16.00 |
16.00 |
— |
|
5 & over |
18.00 |
— |
— |
18.00 |
18.00 |
— |
|
|
South Eastern |
0-8 |
21.20 |
1.44 |
— |
22.64 |
24.90 |
£30 First Holy |
|
8-12 |
21.20 |
1.92 |
— |
23.12 |
24.90 |
Communion |
|
|
12 & over |
21.20 |
2.40 |
— |
23.60 |
24.90 |
£40 Confirmation |
|
|
Southern |
0-5 |
19.20 |
1.15 |
— |
20.35 |
19.20 |
— |
|
5-11 |
22.30 |
1.35 |
29p |
23.94 |
22.30 |
— |
|
|
11 & over |
22.30 |
1.73 |
77p |
24.80 |
22.30 |
— |
|
|
Western |
0-5 |
14.90 |
— |
— |
14.90 |
17.00 |
— |
|
5 & over |
17.75 |
— |
— |
17.75 |
17.00 |
— |