Foster carer allowance is urged

Ministers should consider introducing a national recommended allowance for kinship and foster carers, a review has found.

The recommendation is one of 12 made in a report by the National Care Allowances Review Group.

The Scottish Government set up the group to carry out of a review of allowances paid.

Chairwoman Iona Colvin, chief social work adviser to the government, said the nine-month review involved 1,000 young people, foster and kinship carers, adopters and practitioners.

The Scottish Recommended Allowance would help ensure greater consistency for young people in foster and kinship care, the group said.

Further recommendations include making sure guidance on allowances for foster and kinship carers is clear and easily available.

Adoptive agencies are recommended to make sure pro- spective adopters are told about the allowance and how to apply for it, as early as possible.

Ministers are also urged to consider measures to mitigate the impact of the Universal Credit benefit reform on kinship families, which disregards the child element of the benefit for a looked after and accommodated child.

The group recommends local authorities have a clear approach for decisions about additional or exceptional allowances for foster carers.