Become a Foster Carer and Earn as Much as a Full-Time Job

The decision to become a foster carer, and to undertake fostering as a full time job is a monumental one. Fostering is an opportunity to make a life-changing impact on a child’s life, whilst also offering financial stability to yourself as a foster parent. At Family Fostering Partners, we ensure those that become a foster carer with us and go on to fostering as a full time job, are well-supported, both emotionally and financially. 

Learn How Becoming a Foster Carer and Fostering as a Full Time Job Can Provide the Rewarding Experience of Helping Children While Earning an Income Comparable to a Full-Time Job 

When you choose to become a foster carer, you embark on a journey of providing love, stability, and care to children in need of security and stability. It’s a role that requires compassion, dedication, and a commitment to creating a safe, nurturing environment. At Family Fostering Partners, we offer a generous financial allowance designed to help foster parents meet the needs of the children in their care. 

If you become a foster carer in Wales, and foster a child from a Welsh Local Authority, your fostering allowance start at £367 per week. Additional provisions for clothing, birthdays, holidays, and festivals are also paid to our foster parents. For those taking on specialised placements, such as parent and child fostering, the weekly allowance can rise to £735. This financial support ensures you can focus entirely on fostering as your full time job. 

Respite carers, who provide short-term care to allow the child’s full time carer to rest and recharge, can earn between £367 and £735 per week, depending on the child’s needs and age.  

 

Become a Foster Carer and Earn a Fostering Allowance; What is a Foster Care Allowance? 

A foster care allowance is a weekly payment provided to foster parents to cover the costs of looking after a child or young person in their care. This financial support is designed to ensure that the child’s needs—such as food, activities, and transportation—are fully met. Our foster parents will also be paid an additional allowance for special occasions like birthdays, clothes, holidays, and festivals.  

The amount of allowance varies depending on factors like the type of placement and the child’s age and needs, with specialised placements often receiving higher rates of pay. The foster care allowance reflects the responsibility and commitment of foster carers, helping to ensure they can provide a stable, nurturing environment for the children they care for. 

 

Fostering as a Full-Time Job 

For many, fostering becomes more than just a role—it’s a commitment that transforms both their own life, and the lives of the children they care for. When fostering as a full time job, the financial support offered allows foster carers to dedicate their time fully to the children they care for. With structured allowances and guidance, at Family Fostering Partners we ensure that fostering on a full time basis can provide a similar level of financial stability to traditional employment. 

 

Benefits to becoming a foster carer and fostering as a full time job. 

Beyond the financial benefits, fostering offers a sense of purpose and fulfilment that’s hard to find in other professions. The bonds formed and the positive impact you make on a child’s life are immeasurable, making becoming a foster carer one of the most rewarding full-time commitments you can make. 

Click here to hear from Davin, who speaks positively about the care offered to him by Jackie and Andie, who undertook fostering as a full time job to support children like Davin. 

Like any role, you’ll be fully supported by our fostering team and invited to training and support groups to help you on your fostering journey.  CJ gave up his full time role in senior management to become a foster carer, and to start fostering as a full time job. Here’s his advice to those considering the same path.  

“If you’re considering fostering, just know that it is hard work, but it's the most rewarding job you could ever do. The children are fantastic, and the love you give them will make a real difference as they go forward in life.”  

If you are giving up a full time role to foster with us, you may be eligible for our ‘Be There to Care’ Scheme. The ‘Be There to Care’ Scheme is bespoke to Family Fostering Partners, and not offered by any other fostering provider. 

 

Fostering as a full time job: Do Foster Carers Need to Pay Tax? 

For those wishing to become a foster carer, and particularly for those wanting to start fostering as a full time job, it’s important to understand the financial aspects of fostering, including the tax benefits available. Foster carers in Wales benefit from tax exemptions and allowances offered by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), making fostering a more viable and attractive option. 

The Foster Carer Tax Allowance includes a household allowance of £19,360 per year, plus a weekly tax-free allowance for each child, which varies depending on the child’s age. For example, a foster carer looking after a 14-year-old for a full year and an 11-year-old for 10 weeks would be exempt from paying tax on the first £48,630 of their fostering income. These benefits, combined with resources like FosterTalk—offered free to Family Fostering Partners foster parents—ensure foster parents have the financial support and guidance they need. 

 

Fostering as a Career – Become a foster carer and start fostering as a full time job.  

At Family Fostering Partners, we understand that the decision to become a foster carer is a big one. CJ, who started fostering as a full time job, explains his own decision making process and the stand out moments of his fostering career so far. 

“I made the decision in December last year to give up my full time job in senior management to become a foster carer, and it's the best thing we've ever done. Although I was apprehensive at the start, as soon as the children came to stay, we knew we had done the right thing.”  

“We've had lots of standout moments during our fostering career so far, but the one that I think is the most standout is the day we dropped the girls that we had for our first placement to their new home and their adopted family. They were so happy, laughing, and they weren't bothered that we were driving off because they knew we were going to see them next week. That's upsetting, but exactly why we did this.” 

 

Ready to take the first step and become a foster carer? 

Click here to get in contact with a member of the team today. You can book a call or use the ‘Let’s Chat’ feature in the corner of your screen to speak to us. Explore how you can become a foster carer and make fostering as a full time job, a reality.