Thinking about becoming a foster carer in Cardiff? You’re in the right place. This guide pulls together the current Wales fostering allowance picture, the step-by-step process in Cardiff (via the local Foster Wales team), what support and rewards look like in practice, and the best ways to get in touch if you’re ready to start.
How fostering pay works in Wales
In Wales, fostering pay has three moving parts:
- Weekly child allowance – covers the child’s day-to-day costs (food, clothing, transport, utilities, activities).
- Carer’s fee (sometimes called “skills payment”) – recognises your time, skills and professional commitment. This is set locally, so it varies.
- Additional payments – things like birthdays, holidays, equipment, exceptional mileage or specialist costs.
For 2025/26, the National Minimum Allowance (NMA) set by the Welsh Government increased by 2.6%, and sector summaries quote typical weekly figures in the £224 (ages 0–4) and £255 (16+) range, with middle bands around £204—remember these are minimums and local packages can sit above them.
What this looks like in Cardiff
Foster Wales Cardiff makes clear that actual yearly earnings depend on placement type, age and your skill level—and provides a current example that some Cardiff foster carers receive between ~£21,411 and £23,257 per year for one child, before any extras. This includes the child’s allowance plus the carer fee. Your figure may be higher for more complex placements or if you care for siblings.
Key point: the allowance is for the child, while the carer fee is your professional payment. When comparing agencies, ask for a written breakdown so you can see exactly what’s guaranteed and what varies by placement.
Tax relief: why many carers pay little (or no) tax on fostering income
Most foster carers use HMRC’s Qualifying Care Relief (QCR), a simplified scheme that gives you a fixed yearly threshold plus a weekly amount per person cared for. If your total fostering receipts fall under that threshold, you owe no income tax on your fostering income. HMRC updates the figures each tax year and publishes the rules in helpsheet HS236. Always read the live guidance or ask an accountant.
How the fostering process works in Cardiff
Cardiff recruits through Foster Wales Cardiff, your local authority fostering team and part of the national network across all 22 Welsh councils. You’ll work with a not-for-profit public service dedicated to local children in Cardiff.
Step 1: Initial enquiry
- Reach out to Foster Wales Cardiff (web form/phone—details below). A worker will answer your questions, check basic eligibility (e.g., a spare bedroom is usually required), and explain the pathway from enquiry to approval.
Step 2: Home visit & pre-assessment
- A social worker will visit to talk through your experience, motivations, home and support network. They’ll outline the types of fostering most needed in Cardiff (e.g., teens, sibling groups, emergency/short-term, parent & child).
Step 3: Training – “Skills to Foster”
- You’ll attend a pre-approval training course covering child development, trauma-informed care, safer caring, education/health basics and record-keeping. It’s interactive and helps you decide what type of fostering suits you.
Step 4: Checks and references
- Cardiff (like every fostering service) completes DBS, medical, references and a home safety assessment. If you rent, you’ll be asked for landlord consent. Pets and gardens are risk-assessed, not automatic barriers.
Step 5: Assessment (Form F)
- With your assessing social worker, you’ll build a detailed Form F report covering life history, relationships, parenting approaches, availability, and your home environment. This is thorough but supportive.
Step 6: Fostering panel
- An independent panel reviews your report, asks a few questions, and makes a recommendation. The agency decision maker then confirms your approval and the terms (e.g., age range, number of children, placement types).
Step 7: Matching and your first placement
- Once approved, your supervising social worker supports the matching process—reading referrals, assessing risks, checking bedrooms/transport plans, and confirming the allowance + fee for the specific placement.
How long does it take? Many carers in Wales complete approval in 4–6 months, but it varies with checks, training windows and your availability. If you’re keen to move faster, staying flexible on training dates and having documents ready can help.
Support and rewards you can expect in Cardiff
Cardiff’s package blends financial rewards with practical support to help placements succeed:
- Weekly allowance + carer fee, adjusted by age/needs and your skill level. Cardiff’s example earnings range for one child—~£21.4k to £23.3k per year—gives a realistic feel for typical packages (before extras).
- Extra payments for birthdays/holidays/equipment where appropriate. Mileage and contact transport are often claimable with receipts.
- Dedicated supervising social worker, regular supervision, and out-of-hours support.
- Training & CPD, including trauma-informed approaches and advanced courses (e.g., caring for teens, sibling groups, or parent & child assessments).
- Local networks—support groups with other Cardiff carers, peer mentoring, and access to national Foster Wales resources.
Types of fostering Cardiff particularly needs
- Short-term/emergency: caring for children while plans are assessed.
- Long-term: providing stability when returning home isn’t possible soon.
- Teenagers: high demand; Cardiff provides strong guidance on education, boundaries and independence skills.
- Sibling groups: keeping brothers and sisters together matters; you’ll discuss bedroom arrangements and support.
- Parent & Child: specialist placements where you support and observe a parent with their baby/young child.
If you’re open on age range and placement type, you’ll generally receive more frequent referrals and steadier income.
Eligibility FAQs (Cardiff-specific context)
Do I need to live in Cardiff?
Ideally you’ll live in or near Cardiff to make school runs and contact easier, but Foster Wales Cardiff is happy to talk if you’re nearby and can support local children.
Can I foster if I rent?
Yes, provided your landlord consents and your home meets safety standards. A spare bedroom is usually essential.
Is there an upper age limit?
No fixed upper limit—medical fitness and availability matter more than age.
Can I work while fostering?
Yes, many carers do—especially with school-age children or respite. Your worker will help you plan availability for meetings, contact and training.
What about criminal records or past issues?
DBS checks look at the nature/timeframe of any offences. Honesty during assessment is vital; many issues are not automatic barriers.
How Cardiff compares with independent agencies
Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs) also operate across South Wales and often advertise headline annual figures that bundle allowance + fee (sometimes for specialist placements). Your decision should weigh:
- Not-for-profit vs for-profit motivations (Foster Wales Cardiff is public, not-for-profit).
- Local matching (Cardiff focuses on Cardiff children, enabling closer school and family links).
- Training and peer network (local authority teams are integrated with council education/health services).
- Transparent breakdown (ask any provider for a line-by-line breakdown: child allowance, carer fee, extras, retainer, and what’s guaranteed).
Step-by-step: how to start your application
- Make contact (web form or phone—details below) to request an information pack and a call-back.
- Initial phone chat to check eligibility, discuss your home, family and motivations.
- Home visit and pre-approval training dates confirmed.
- Submit forms (DBS, medical, references); check your documents (ID, tenancy/mortgage, car insurance, pet vaccines where relevant).
- Assessment (Form F) across a series of sessions; you’ll develop a safer caring policy and talk through preferred age range/placement types.
- Panel then approval; agree your placement terms and read referrals with your supervising social worker.
- Ongoing training and CPD; join support groups and access out-of-hours help when you need it.
Contacts: Foster Wales Cardiff & Cardiff Counci
- Foster Wales Cardiff – Contact page (online enquiry form)
Use the official contact form to request a call or information pack; the team is responsive and can talk in English or Welsh. - Foster Wales Cardiff – Main site
Overview of fostering in Cardiff, events, support and rewards, and stories from local carers. - Cardiff Council fostering hub
Council page signposts you back to the Foster Wales Cardiff site for recruitment and information. - Phone (Cardiff fostering team)
Cardiff lists a public contact number for fostering queries (029 2087 3797) on its council pages. If you prefer a direct call, use this and ask for the fostering team.
Tip: When you speak to the team, ask for a written financial breakdown for a typical placement in your age range (allowance + fee + extras), plus recent training dates, and what placement types are most in demand right now.
What to include in your first conversation
- Your spare bedroom situation (who sleeps where; room size).
- Availability (work hours, school runs, contact windows).
- Age range you’re open to (be realistic and specific).
- Transport (car, public transport options for school/contact).
- Support network (who can help in a pinch).
- Any skills/experience with children, care, education, health or community roles.
The more detail you share, the faster Cardiff can suggest training dates and start checks.
Cardiff carers’ next-step checklist
- Download/receive the information pack and note training dates.
- Gather documents: ID, address history, GP details, car insurance, pet records, landlord consent (if renting).
- Home prep: smoke alarms, stair gates (if needed), secure storage for meds/cleaning products, tidy spare room.
- Finance prep: skim HMRC HS236 to understand Qualifying Care Relief and keep simple records from day one.
- Questions to ask: out-of-hours support; learning pathways (e.g., therapeutic/trauma-informed); how birthday/holiday payments work; travel/mileage claims; respite arrangements; panel timelines.
The bottom line for Cardiff
- Rates: Wales has a national minimum allowance, uplifted 2.6% in 2025/26, but Cardiff’s total package (allowance + fee) often sits above the minimum—some carers earn ~£21.4k–£23.3k/year caring for one child, before extras.
- Process: Straightforward, supportive, and run by your local authority team—from enquiry and Skills to Foster through to panel and matching.
- Support: Dedicated supervising social worker, training/CPD, peer groups, and out-of-hours help when things are tricky.
- Contacts: Start with the Foster Wales Cardiff contact form or call 029 2087 3797 to speak to the team.
- Tax: Check QCR—many carers pay little or no tax on fostering income thanks to HMRC’s scheme.