To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the average monetary level of financial support family and friend (a) carers and (b) foster carers received from each local authority in 2008-09.

Where a child, who is not a looked after child, is being cared for by a relative or friend, the local authority has the discretion to provide support under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 to support their upbringing by their family. The Children and Young Persons Act 2008 made it easier for local authorities to provide financial under section 17 where that is appropriate. The number of families being supported in this way is not collected centrally.

Where the local authority places a child with a relative or friend, so they are a looked after child, the family or friend must become approved as a foster carer and the fostering service provider must provide them with support on the same basis as for any other foster carer. The amount of financial support provided to family and friends foster carers is not collected centrally.

Fostering service providers differ in the amount of support they provide, however, all providers should be paying their foster carers at least the national minimum allowance.