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More than half of all foster carers are paid nothing for their services, and a further 20 per cent receive less than £100 a week, a survey by the Fostering Network shows, writes Derren Hayes.

The findings are likely to raise concerns among social services departments that their foster carers could be tempted to leave in favour of working for private foster agencies, many of which offer payments of more than £200 a week.

Of the 1,100 local authority and independent foster carers surveyed between October 2003 and April 2004, 539 received no payments. Of those who were paid a small amount, some received as little as £20 a week and only one in 10 received an amount reflecting a minimum wage for a 40-hour week.

Fostering Network’s executive director Robert Tapsfield said too often foster carers were treated as volunteers. “This leaves foster carers reliant on other sources of income or on state benefits – no wonder there is such a massive shortage.”