Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021
714. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if foster parents are required to cease paid employment in order to provide foster care; if they are entitled to jobseeker's allowance and the State pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21885/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFoster carers or foster care applicants are not requested to cease their employment when considering fostering or when fostering. Tusla have a number of foster carers who are in employment.
Every child in care has unique and individual needs and social workers match children to their foster carers based on the capacity of the foster carers and the needs of the child.
Decisions in relation to job seeker's allowance, and the criteria and eligibility surrounding the payment, are a matter for the Department of Employment and Social Protection. However, it should be noted that the foster care allowance is not assessed as means for the purposes of this payment, not indeed any social assistance payment.
Tusla does not make pension contributions on behalf of foster carers as foster carers are not employees. The foster care allowance is payable to foster carers on behalf of and to offset expenses in relation to the child in foster care. As with jobseekers allowance, the foster care allowance is not considered at means in non-contributory State Pension calculations.
Finally, it should also be noted that the foster care allowance is not considered as income for tax purposes.
