how we support you in Rhondda Cynon Taf
support and allowance
how we support you
We’re here to support you. That means we’ll do everything we can to help you provide a stable and loving home for a foster child.
Even before a child arrives, Foster Wales RCT provides in-depth guidance and training to make sure fostering is the right fit for you and your family. But the support doesn’t end there.
Once you are fostering a child, we offer:
- support and supervision from a dedicated social worker
- fostering pay to cover essential living costs
- a community of local fostering families who can share experience
- friendship and social events
- among many more benefits.
It’s important to consider all of the local benefits for a better understanding, before comparing foster carer payments.
Read on to learn more about the fostering support and rewards we offer.
foster care allowance
do RCT foster carers get paid?
Yes, foster carers receive a payment to cover the costs of caring for a child. This amount will vary based on many factors, including
- how many children you foster
- what age the children are
- and how long you’ve fostered for
However, being a foster carer isn’t a conventional job. It doesn’t fit into a box. It’s a home-based 24-7 skilled vocation which we support you financially to do.
At Foster Wales it is important to us that children get everything they need to thrive, so we divide the payment into 3 parts: the weekly children’s allowance + the carer’s fee + additional payments.
child's allowance
foster carer's fee
additional payments
our commitment to you
Every Local Authority in Wales has signed up to what we call the ‘National Commitment’. This is an agreed package of training, support, and rewards enjoyed by every one of our foster carers in Wales.
your local RCT fostering team
You’re not out there on your own. You have a team to support and encourage you, every step of the way. Your Foster Wales Rhondda Cynon Taf team works together with social workers, teachers, healthcare professionals and everyone involved in children’s care. We’re one team, because we’re all part of the Local Authority.
You’re a central part of this team, and because of this you’ll always be included, valued and respected in everything we do – and in how we move forward.
Joining our team means joining forces with those who hold ultimate responsibility for every child looked after in Wales. It also means putting the things that matter first, because we’re proudly about people – not profit. Unlike other foster agencies, we will always help children to stay in their local area when it’s best for them. That’s what makes this team unique.
dedicated supervising social workers
You’ll have a team beside you, providing support and encouragement. You’ll have skilled and experienced professional social workers on hand, with a fostering team member dedicated to supporting you, your family and your network.
Your Foster Wales team are part of the local authority, working alongside the child’s social worker. This means access to information about the child and other social services departments and closer working links with children’s social workers.
peer support and fostering community
Experienced pioneer foster carers can support you through your journey as a foster carer. You’ll also be invited to events and activities designed to bring you closer to other foster families, from walk & talks, to celebration events to seasonal parties! To give you new experiences, new friendships, and new memories.
Joining Foster Wales RCTmeans you’ll automatically receive a membership to The Fostering Network (TFN) and The Association for Fostering and Adoption (AFA) Cymru. We believe these specialist fostering organisations offer the right kind of advice, support, guidance and a whole range of other perks.
learning opportunities
The tools and opportunities for your development are part of the core services we offer, because helping you grow matters to us. Our learning and development framework is tried and tested, developed with foster carers and consistent across Wales.
We provide everything you need in order to fully meet the needs of the children in your care: training opportunities, the expertise of our team, and round-the-clock support. It’s about making sure you are confident and capable.
We keep track of your individual journey with a personal learning record and a development plan that is unique to you. This plan recognises all the valuable transferable skills and experiences you arrived to us with, and it charts a course for us to build on them. It’s a way of keeping track of all the progress you’re making, as well as planning for the future.
more questions on financial support?
We'll share and explain all the support you can receive. For a full breakdown of the local fostering allowances and financial support we offer, request an information pack.
other support and rewards
leisure pass
Free leisure membership for the entire fostering household, meaning unlimited use of Local Authority gyms, swimming pools and classes.
have your say
Foster carer consultation events where your voice matters and your opinions are taken on board to help shape the service. You are a valued and respected member of our fostering community.
3 month retainer payment
Foster carer fees are protected, meaning that you will continue to receive your skills fee for up to 3 months at times when you do not have a foster child in your home.
retention fee
All our approved foster carers receiving an additional allowance will receive an annual retention payment of £1,000, split into 2 x £500 over the year.
pioneer foster carers
Some of our experienced foster carers have undertaken additional training in order to support and mentor other foster carers. They are our Pioneer foster carers they have a wide range of experience in different situations and can help get you through if you need a bit of guidance.
training opportunities
A wide range of learning and development opportunities delivered in flexible ways, including e-learning, podcasts, reading material, workshops…even TV shows can provide learning opportunities. We want you to be the best you can be so we aid in your training to help you thrive.
