Guidance
Fostering Finances Uncovered: How Foster Carer Pay Really Works
One of the first concerns anyone has when they start thinking about fostering is the money. They want to know if, when and how much foster parents get paid. They want to know if the money people earn as foster carers is stable enough to live on. And they want to know if they’ll be left without any sort of income if a placement suddenly ends. These are sensible questions. For many households,…
Read MoreCan a single person foster a child?
The answer to the above question is absolutely categorical – yes. In the UK, fostering is open to single people, whether you’re never married, divorced, widowed or simply living on your own. You do not need a partner or a traditional family set-up to become a foster parent. What matters is your ability to provide stability, time, emotional availability and…
Read MoreBirth Parents’ Rights When a Child Is in Foster Care: What the Law Says About Contact
When a child enters foster care, one of the first and most painful questions for birth parents is often: “Will I still be able to see my child?” The answer is rarely simple. In the UK, birth parents’ legal rights do not automatically end when a child enters foster care but how contact works depends on…
Read MoreTherapy, Community And Financial support – Why People Choose Long-Term Fostering Over Adoption
Immediate access to therapy, financial benefits and professional support packages offered by fostering agencies like Mosaic Foster Care are attracting adopters to consider long-term fostering as a more viable alternative. The initial dilemma is straightforward – adoption promises legal guardianship but that comes with limited post-adoption help, eroded in recent years by significant reductions to…
Read MoreFrom Reflection to Relationship: Embedding Reflective Practice Across A Therapeutic Fostering Community
By Greg De Smidt, Registered Fostering Manager, Mosaic Foster Care Why reflection matters now more than ever Fostering has always required courage, empathy and extraordinary patience. But as the needs of children in care become increasingly complex, our profession is learning that compassion alone is not enough. To sustain children through trauma and uncertainty, foster…
Read MoreBeyond Talk Therapy: What We Learned at Transform Trauma Oxford
Recently, our Director Andre Palmer and Practice Manager Jenna Pearman joined other members of the Mosaic team for three days at Transform Trauma Oxford alongside 4,000 other professionals – to better understand how to help people heal from trauma. They returned inspired and energised, with fresh insights that will directly shape how we support the…
Read MoreFostering And The Cost Of Living Crisis: What Support Is Available?
Energy bills that just won’t stop climbing. Weekly food shops that cost more and fill less. For families across the UK, the cost-of-living crisis is a lot more than a headline – it’s a daily strain. And for foster parents, who often juggle not only household essentials but also the unique needs of children in…
Read MoreMake Your Foster Allowance Go Further – Money-Saving Tips
Fostering, for all the good things about it, is not immune to the cost-of-living crunch. Shoes that simply vanish overnight, steepling heating bills every winter, the school trip to Barcelona – your foster allowance can feel like it disappears faster than a packet of biscuits in a teenager’s bedroom. Here at Mosaic Foster Care however,…
Read MoreDo Foster Carers Pay Tax? Your Questions Answered
Foster carers often ask us here at Mosaic Foster Care whether their fostering income counts as taxable. The answer depends on your allowances, expenses, and the HMRC scheme you use. Here’s a clear guide to the most common questions foster parents have about tax, benefits and National Insurance. Do foster carers pay tax on their…
Read MoreThe Complete Guide To Foster Carer Tax Relief
For anyone – not just foster parents – the word “tax” is readily associated with confusion, stress and panic. Every year, foster parents across the UK wonder: “Do I need to file a tax return?” “Is my fostering income taxable?” “What on Earth is Qualifying Care Relief?” Foster carers are often entitled to generous tax relief, income…
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