Council tax discount announced for Wakefield foster carers

Wakefield Council has announced that foster carers will see a pay increase of around 12% to their maintenance rates with mainstream foster carers also benefitting from the 70% reduction in their council tax.

The news comes during Foster Care Fortnight (May 15 – 28), a time to celebrate foster carers and the fostering community who support children and young people, providing a safe and stable home locally, close to everything that is familiar to them.

The fortnight is delivered by the UK’s leading fostering charity, The Fostering Network, who aims to raise awareness of fostering and celebrate the work the fostering community does to ensure children are cared for and supported to thrive.

Karan and Mark Shaw have been foster carers for eight years, they said: “I think what means the most to us is knowing that you have helped somebody, knowing you’ve made that difference.

“If you are thinking of fostering, just do it. It will get harder before it gets easier but the rewards at the end are massive.”

The needs of children can vary but foster carers don’t need a qualification or to even have their own children. What’s important is that they can support and nurture children who cannot live with their own families.

The whole family benefits from fostering with Wakefield, from free gym memberships to railcards, alongside specialist support teams and a network of foster carers.

Coun Margaret Isherwood, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People at Wakefield Council, said: “During Foster Care Fortnight we want to celebrate the incredible work our foster carers do and shine a light on the strong bonds and impact created by fostering - both within the fostering community and the wider community around it.

“We want people to see the difference our current foster carers are making to the lives of young people and children with the hope that more people will consider the positive influence they could make by becoming a foster carer themselves.

“We need more people in the district to foster, so we can keep children in our care close to the communities and people they know.”

To find out more about fostering, visit www.wakefield.gov.uk/fostering and enquire with the team.