Southend Fostering Family’s Emergency Foster Carers

Southend fostering family are currently recruiting for emergency foster carers who can support children and young people during emergency situations when they need somewhere immediately to go. We require our emergency foster carers to be on hand to offer care to vulnerable children and young people, often without much notice.

Emergency foster carers play a vital role for our most vulnerable children and young people who need a warm, safe and nurturing environment during an emergency to give some time to allow for more careful planning for them. 

There are many different types of foster care and emergency foster care is one area which is often overlooked.

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What is an emergency Placement?

Ideally when children and young people are accommodated by the local authority the aim is to plan and match them to the right foster care placement straight away. The aim is to prevent too many changes for children and young people who are not able to stay wherever they have been residing. However, this is not always possible, because at times children and young people must leave the place, they are residing immediately due to being at risk of harm. 

This can be for any reason, such as unexpected bereavement of their carer giver(s), or the parents may struggle with mental health, drug and alcohol issues or violent relationships. Reasons such as these leave children and young people with nowhere to go and requiring an immediate safe place to stay until further arrangements can be made.

How long does an emergency placement last?

The aim of the emergency placement is to provide 72hrs care for children and young people whilst social care makes plans. Giving the social work team some time to consider the next step in terms of a more suitable placement arrangement where children and young people can stay until either things become safer in their main place of residence or longer period to allow the family court to decide about their long-term care. The emergency placement is a quick stop gap to allow for better planning for children and young people. 

Do you think you can be an emergency foster carer?

Children and young people who require an emergency foster care placement will be scared and confused. They may be coming to terms with a very difficult and traumatic event but will be too young to fully understand what has happened. They will find themselves in a strange environment away from the people they know and love which means that the emergency foster carer they are placed with needs to be extraordinarily patient and understanding.

The length of an emergency fostering placement is for up to 72hrs and serves as a crucial point in a child’s journey. Although being an emergency foster carer can be unpredictable and demanding, it can also be extremely rewarding. Being there for a child or young person at a time when they need you the most and having the opportunity to offer safety and kindness to a vulnerable child or young person is a real privilege that makes emergency fostering worthwhile.

We ensure that our carers receive all the support and training they need so you will never be alone. All our foster carers, including emergency foster carers, will have access to their own supervising social worker and out of hours support. 

Support available 

As an emergency foster carer, you will undergo intensive training. Alongside this you will receive a financial package that will allow you to focus on proving the support required.

  • On call fee of £310 per week (for making yourself available in case an emergency foster care placement is required)

  • An additional £310 fee when a child is with you, alongside additional child allowance payment ranging from £189.93 to £316.22, depending on the age of the child or young person 

  • A fortnightly duty rota allows for time to recuperate. A fee of £310 per week is paid whilst off duty for 2 weeks. So it will look like the following:

  • fortnightly rotation of emergency beds between 2 emergency bed placements. 

  • Weeks 1 & 2 on duty:
    Retainer of £310 per week + Fee of £310 to £420 per week, depending of level  of needs + child allowance based on age = Total of £835.17 to £936.22 per week. 

  • Weeks 3 & 4 off duty:
    Retainer of £310 per week 

  • Weeks 4 & 6 on duty:
    Retainer of £310 per week + Fee of £310 to £420per week, depending of level  of needs +child allowance based on age = Total of £835.17 to £936.22 per week. 

  • Council Tax Relief: Foster carers who complete their TSD (training, support and development) within the first 12 months of approval as foster carers will receive council tax relief on completion. Foster carers residing in properties registered as Band D or above, will receive the council tax relief for Band D. For foster carers who reside in Southend, the council tax relief will be shown on their council tax statement. For foster carers who reside outside of Southend the council tax relief is shown on their weekly remittance advice.  

  • 28 days paid break from fostering: Emergency foster Carers will be entitled to negotiate an annual total of 28 days leave without placements or tasks whilst receiving a flat fee of £310 per week. This period will run each financial year (April to March).

  • Mileage Reimbursement: Mileage is paid at 45p per mile.  School Transport where the trip involves taking a child to school and is greater than a 6 mile return journey, the carer can claim for the additional mileage above 6 miles. 

  • Payments made are non-taxable

Become an emergency foster carer

If you’d like to find out more about emergency foster care, get in touch today. We are happy to answer any questions you may have and provide further information on this important and incredibly rewarding role.