Payment for Skills
Payment for Skills is an additional weekly payment made to foster carers in recognition of the different levels of knowledge, skills and contribution to the wider fostering service.
The current Payment for Skills Framework has 3 levels:
- Foundation
- Skilled
- Advanced.
Your skill level will be reviewed as part of your review. If you'd like to apply for a skill level increase before your review, you can apply for enhanced Payment for Skills payments.
To qualify for foundation level you must:
- competently fulfil your role and responsibilities as a foster carer
- meet the fostering national minimum standards
- meet the Training, Support and Development Standards
- complete mandatory training
- attend support group at least 8 times per year.
In return you will get:
- fostering payments at the standard rate
- 14 days holiday.
To qualify for skilled level you must:
- meet all of the foundation level requirements
- have completed a Level 3 Diploma and have 2 years active fostering experience, or 5 years relevant fostering experience
- have written a statement evidencing what you did, the impact it had and the outcome for:
- 4 of the child focussed evidence
- 3 pieces of work that show wider service contribution.
In return you will get:
- fostering payments at the skilled rate
- 16 days holiday.
To qualify for advanced level you must:
- meet all of the foundation and skilled level requirements
- have completed a Level 4 Diploma and have 5 years active fostering experience, or 10 years relevant fostering experience
- have written a statement evidencing what you did, the impact it had and the outcome for:
- 6 pieces of child focussed evidence
- 7 pieces of work that show wider service contribution.
In return you will get:
- fostering payments at the advanced rate
- 16 days holiday.
Read the policy
For more information read the Payment for Skills Policy (PDF, 324.1 KB).