Court challenge to kinship allowances

A grandmother is mounting a legal challenge to Leeds Council over
the rates paid to kinship carers.

Her 13-year-old grandchild came to live with her in 1998 after the
child suffered severe physical and emotional abuse from her mother.

The grandmother, who cannot be identified, receives an allowance of
£100.20 a week, but her solicitors claim that some other
non-kinship foster carers in Leeds receive the weekly allowance of
£100.20 plus a payment of £231.10 per week.

The grandmother will be attempting to apply for a judicial review
of the rates paid by the council to foster carers who are relatives
and friends rather than paid foster carers.

A spokesperson for Leeds Council said that the concerns were being
examined but declined to comment any further.

Meanwhile, councils will be sent a publicity pack to help them
recruit more foster carers, as part of a campaign launched by
children’s minister Margaret Hodge this week.