Fees for caring for children with disabilities
Fees are paid to foster carers, to reimburse for your time and lifestyle changes. The fee foster carers are paid depends on the type of foster care given, plus how old the children are.
There are three main types of foster care for children with disabilities:
- short-term and long-term fostering
- short breaks
- fee-paid short breaks
Our fees for 2024/2025 are also summarised here.
Fostering offers competitive fees, compared to other healthcare roles
For example, a short-breaks foster carer can earn up to £1317.12 a week, based on caring for an 11 – 15-year-old for five nights.
Fees for short-term and long-term fostering
- £550 per week, per child (plus allowance), for a child of any age with a diagnosed disability. The child will also be receiving support from our children with disabilities team.
- £1090 per week, per child (plus allowance) for a child with a disability who needs a high level of two-parent care or through the night care
Fees for short breaks for children with disabilities
Short breaks offer the children’s (0 to 18 years old) primary caregivers a break from their daily routine. You can be a short breaks carer for at least one weekend a month.
- £12.91 per hour (between 7am and 7pm while caring for a child)
- plus £100 overnight rate
Fee paid short breaks for children with disabilities
Fee-paid short breaks cares for individual children (0 to 18 years old) with more complex needs. This can be for up to five nights a week. A part-time option (three nights a week) is available too.
These fees reflect the level of skill required. You will be paid from the point of approval. Plus, you will continue to receive a fee even while you don’t have a child placed with you.
How much do short breaks carers earn?
- £550 + £100 overnight fee (5 nights)
- £440 + £100 overnight fee (4 nights)
- £330 + £100 overnight fee (3 nights)
Essex County Council’s foster carers receive other benefits too
Our foster carers receive extra payments for birthdays, Christmas and summer holidays. Find out more about the benefits of fostering with Essex County Council.