FOSTER carers in York will still receive 20 per cent less in allowances than the recommended national total - even if planned increases come in, a carer claimed today.
They would get 40 per cent less than their counterparts in North Yorkshire.
The Evening Press reported last week that City of York Council officers were recommending a £24-a-week increase in foster carers' allowances in an effort to recruit and retain them in the face of competition from neighbouring local authorities.
The rise equates to more than 30 per cent for people looking after children aged up to four years, whose current basic weekly allowance would go up to £87.49 from £63.49.
But Paul Kind, who has 30 years experience of fostering and is a former chairman of the York area Foster Care Association, today branded the levels "very unfair" in comparison to elsewhere.
He said the minimum recommended weekly allowance rates set by the Foster Care Network for carers looking after children aged up to four years was £112.07.
The total for people fostering 16 to 17-year-olds was £193.28 - compared with a figure of £151.05 proposed by York council.
North Yorkshire County Council's new allowance rates are considerable more than York's. It pays foster carers £148 for a child under five, and £261 for anyone over 16.
East Yorkshire is in line with the network's recommended minimum totals, with carers receiving £112.07 for children up to four years and £193.28 given for anyone over 16.
Mr Kind said: "There is a sizeable difference between the treatment of foster carers in York and other parts of Yorkshire and that is a cause for concern.
"It means that foster carers can be hundreds if not thousands of pounds worse off in terms of their allowance payments.
"If we are getting paid so much less than our neighbours in North Yorkshire then the question is why should we foster for York?"
The matter will be discussed by the executive member for social services tomorrow, at 5pm.
The Foster Care Fortnight, co-ordinated by the Fostering Network, is running until May 22 and aims to raise the profile of fostering and highlights the need for more foster carers. For more information, log on to the network's website at www.thefostering.net
Updated: 08:59 Wednesday, May 11, 2005
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