Around 69 per cent of foster carers believe they should receive higher compensation for their role, according to a recent study.
An overwhelming majority, 80 per cent, said they needed more support from the government through financial benefits and the services of specialists, such as psychologists and counsellors, for the children.
However, 15 per cent disagreed that they should be remunerated for their services.
“The survey clearly indicates that, unfortunately, many foster carers find themselves spending more money on the children they are fostering than they receive from the state – this is clearly not fair on the carers,” according to National Foster Care Association president Jason Zerafa.
Commissioned by the association, the study asked 153 approved foster carers about their needs and the problems they encountered.
The majority of respondents, 83 per cent, fostered one child, 13 per cent had two children while almost three per cent fostered three children.
To acknowledge that foster carers were offering a “sterling service”, the government needed to favourably consider reviewing the funding to “reflect the time, energy and love” they spent.
Mr Zerafa pointed out that expenses increased as the child grew and this raised the question of a minimum benefit for children aged five, which would increase every five years until the foster care period was over.
Indirect financial support could take place through provision of schoolbooks, extra tuition expenses, child psychologists and play therapists, for example.
A budget should be made available to all fostered children and monitored by the social worker who should give guidance over whether a case was eligible for the funds, he said.
The association presented the study to stakeholders with a viw to starting a debate on improving the challenges faced by foster carers.
The study also revealed that more than half the carers, 56 per cent, said they felt part of the foster care team when decisions about the child were taken. However, 10 per cent disagreed and called for more authority.
A total of 60 per cent felt they were supported by Aġenzija Appoġġ, the government’s social agency, while nearly 80 per cent said they were happy with the service and support offered by the association.
Mr Zerafa called for more ongoing training for foster carers, which would be reviewed on a regular basis.
“These families surely deserve this, definitely not for their own sake, but for the children’s. Foster care is surely one of the greatest acts of kindness … children placed in care can be vulnerable, hurt and traumatised,” he said.
The association believes that all those involved should work together to ease the task of foster families “who with great love and altruism open their homes and hearts to children who for various reasons cannot live with their biological families”.
The way forward
• Legislation should be more child-centred.
• A review of the present Foster Care Act to reflect the current needs.
• More communication between the foster carers, Aġenzija Appoġġ and government departments.
• Educate the educators so that children in care are supported and understood at school.