FOSTER carers in Devon are set to benefit from improved fees and allowances for looking after a child after Devon County Council (DCC) approved a major £2million investment into its fostering service.

It’s the latest move by DCC to improve support for foster carers after councillors in June backed an annual council tax relief scheme for foster carers in Devon.

The changes come amid a backdrop of more carers leaving than joining and some reporting they felt unsupported and undervalued.

Reflecting a national trend, in Devon the number of approved fostering households in Devon has dropped by up to a third since 2020.

It is estimated that nationally 6,500 more foster families are needed to meet the needs for looked after children.

Carers are entitled to a carer fee and a separate child’s allowance, which covers the day-to-day costs of looking after the child.

At this week’s meeting cabinet agreed to introduce tiered carer fees based on children’s age and complexity of need and to align child allowances with the Department for Education’s National Minimum Allowance (NMA).

The changes include the development of new initiatives including an emergency rota service; and schemes for short breaks for children with disabilities and supported lodgings.

They also approved ‘protecting’ current rates for carers where the proposed NMA is lower than existing payments.

The changes follow a four-week consultation with foster carers in July 2025; around 23% of carers participated in the consultation.

Additionally support measures include emergency rota fees and enhanced payments for carers supporting children with higher needs.

Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, Cllr Richard Jefferies, said: ‘Foster carers are the backbone of our care system.

‘We must ensure they feel valued, supported and fairly compensated for the vital role they play in children’s lives.

‘This package is about restoring confidence in our service and making Devon a place where carers want to stay and where new carers feel welcome’.