Fostering in Croydon: Fees, Training and Placement Demand

Thinking about fostering in Croydon? You’re in one of London’s busiest fostering areas, with strong support from the council, a clear training pathway, and steady demand for carers—especially for teenagers, children with complex needs and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC). Below is a practical, Croydon-specific guide to help you compare fees and allowances, understand the training journey, and see where demand is highest right now.

What you can earn: allowances, fees and extras

In Croydon (as with every English local authority), weekly fostering payments are split into two parts:

• Allowance – for the child’s day-to-day costs (food, clothing, utilities, transport, activities).
• Carer fee/skill payment – recognition of your time, skills and professional commitment.

Croydon Council’s fostering site explains this split clearly and confirms that carers also receive birthday and celebration allowances on top of the weekly payment.

Because Croydon is in London, the National Minimum Fostering Allowance (the maintenance portion) follows the London band. For the 2025/26 tax year (6 April 2025–5 April 2026), the London maintenance rates are: £198 (0–2), £201 (3–4), £225 (5–10), £257 (11–15), £299 (16–17) per child, per week. Your total weekly pay will usually be higher once Croydon’s fee/skills element and any extras (mileage, equipment) are added.

To give applicants a headline figure, Croydon also publishes a “up to £604 per week, per child” statement (this reflects the combined package—allowance + fees—for certain placements/ages/needs). Remember that your individual total depends on the child’s age/needs and your skill level. Always ask for a written breakdown when you enquire.

Tip: If you’re comparing Croydon Council with independent fostering agencies (IFAs) based in or near the borough, make sure you compare like-for-like. Both should at least meet the national minimum allowance for the child, but fee structures and add-ons vary. Ask each provider to separate the child’s allowance from the carer fee, and to clarify extras (mileage, holiday/birthday payments, retainers).

Training and support: what to expect in Croydon

Prospective carers in Croydon follow the national process (enquiry → home visit → assessment → panel), with training woven in.

• Pre-approval training – “Skills to Foster.” Croydon currently runs this as a two-day course, covering safeguarding, trauma-informed care, daily routines, contact with birth family, and how recording works. The council also uses a comprehensive e-learning suite post-approval to keep skills up to date.
• Post-approval learning. New and experienced carers have access to an online catalogue of courses (e.g., therapeutic approaches, managing allegations, education support), so you can build competence around the needs of the children you look after.
• Local/virtual options. Many providers operating in Croydon also offer blended training (part in-person, part online), which is useful if you’re balancing employment or caring commitments.

If you’re already approved elsewhere and considering a move, Croydon’s fostering team can advise on the transfer process (notice periods, portability of your approval, references). It’s normal to see continuity in training records and support groups, so your development doesn’t pause mid-transfer.

Placement demand in Croydon: who is most needed?

Croydon publicly highlights an urgent need for carers who can look after:

• Teenagers and young adults
• Children with complex needs
• Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC)

This reflects London-wide pressures and Croydon’s role as a major London borough. If you can offer a spare bedroom for a teenager, have experience with neurodiversity/complex needs, or feel drawn to supporting UASC, your enquiry is particularly valuable.

The borough’s Virtual School also maintains dedicated support for UASC education—advice on admissions, English language learning, college pathways and cultural support—so carers aren’t navigating this alone.

Recent council papers and inspection activity underline the service’s continuing focus on matching and permanence, which improves stability for young people and reduces placement breakdowns. That’s good news for carers, too: the better the match, the more sustainable the placement feels day-to-day.

How to apply: steps that speed things up

1. Enquire and attend an information session. Share your household details (spare room, work patterns, pets) and ask for Croydon’s current fees/allowances in writing. This helps you compare providers accurately.
2. Complete the home visit. A social worker will talk through your motivations, support network, health, and experience with children. Be open—it helps matching later.
3. Pre-approval checks and training. Expect DBS, medical, references, home safety checks, and the two-day Skills to Foster course. Keep paperwork tidy to avoid delays.
4. Assessment (Form F). You’ll meet regularly with an assessing social worker to build your profile and safer-caring plan.
5. Panel and approval. A multi-disciplinary panel reviews your assessment and recommends approval categories (age range, number, needs).
6. Matching and first placement. Be honest about what you can offer—saying “no” to a poor match protects everyone and leads to better outcomes.

If you work full-time or have childcare commitments, discuss flexibility with the team early—many Croydon carers successfully balance employment with fostering, especially for school-age placements.

Ofsted and local quality signals

Croydon’s Children’s Services have undergone regular Ofsted scrutiny. The 2024 children’s services inspection is available on Ofsted’s site; reading the latest report gives a sense of the service’s strengths and priorities (e.g., permanence, matching, support). Use this alongside conversations with the fostering team to understand how support looks in practice today.

If you are considering an IFA, you can also search the Ofsted database for agencies located in or near Croydon to compare inspection grades and statements about support, matching, and training.

Taxes and take-home (quick note)

Alongside allowances/fees, foster carers benefit from Qualifying Care Relief (QCR), which substantially reduces (and often eliminates) income tax on fostering income. While this is a national, not Croydon-specific, rule, it’s worth factoring into your financial planning when you compare providers and placement types. (Check HMRC’s current figures for the 2025/26 tax year.)

Is Croydon right for you?

Choose Croydon if you want:

• Consistent demand—especially for teens, complex needs and UASC—so you can put your skills to work quickly.
• A clear training pathway, starting with a two-day Skills to Foster course and strong ongoing learning support.
• Transparent pay structure (allowance + fee) with published guidance and additional celebration allowances.

Before you decide, ask Croydon (and any IFA you’re comparing) for: a written breakdown of allowance vs fee, examples of extras (mileage, equipment, holidays/birthdays), and how they support carers looking after teens, complex needs and UASC. With that, you’ll have a fair, like-for-like view—and a clear path to your first placement in Croydon.