Fostering in Medway: Rates, Requirements and Local Contacts

Thinking about fostering in Medway? This quick, practical guide pulls together the current allowance rates, what Medway Council expects from applicants, the step-by-step process, and the best contact routes—including the South East regional recruitment hub—so you can move from “interested” to “informed” in one read.

Allowance rates for Medway (2025/26)

Medway sits in England’s South East band for the National Minimum Fostering Allowance (NMA). For the tax year 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026, the government minimum weekly allowances are: £189 (age 0–2), £196 (3–4), £216 (5–10), £247 (11–15), £288 (16–17). These are the baseline amounts every fostering service must at least meet to cover a child’s day-to-day costs (food, clothing, transport, utilities, activities). Agencies can pay more, and many add separate carer fees/skills payments on top.

Medway Council publishes its own information on fees and allowances, plus how benefits interact with fostering income. Expect the allowance to cover the child’s costs, while any additional fee recognises your time and experience; check the council’s page for how this is structured locally.

Extra support/benefits in Medway: a Cabinet paper (2025) confirms an annual £600 contribution to council tax for approved Medway Council foster carers, paid after the first year of approval and then annually following the carer’s review. This sits alongside allowances and any fee elements.

What types of fostering are needed locally?

Medway recruits for a range of placement types—short-term, long-term, emergency, respite, and specialist options. If you’re flexible about age and needs, you’re likely to receive more placement offers; the council’s “types of foster care” page outlines what each pathway involves and what support is available.

Who can apply (and home requirements)

You don’t need to own your home, be married, or have previous professional experience with children—what matters is stability, a safe home and the capacity to care. Typical UK requirements include:

• A spare bedroom for each fostered child (exceptions are rare and risk-assessed).
• Sufficient time and flexibility to attend meetings, contact, training and school runs.
• A strong support network (family/friends) who can step in when needed.

Medway follows England-wide standards: you’ll have DBS checks, medicals, references, a thorough home assessment, and mandatory Skills to Foster training. Locally, Medway highlights that all new applicants complete a three-day Skills to Foster course covering the essentials of safe caring, teamwork with professionals, and supporting children’s needs.

The application process in Medway (step-by-step)

1) Enquiry & initial chat. Start with a phone call or form. Medway’s fostering page invites you to have a friendly, informal conversation about your situation and suitability.

2) Information session. You can join a local Medway session or a South East regional webinar via the “Fostering South East” hub (details below). These sessions explain the role, support, pay/allowances and next steps.

3) Home visit & pre-assessment checks. A social worker visits your home to discuss your experience, household, support network and the bedroom/space you have available. (Pet risks, safety, and general H&S are considered as standard in England.)

4) Skills to Foster training (mandatory). Medway’s three-day course prepares you for the realities of caring for children who may have experienced trauma or disruption.

5) Form F assessment. A detailed assessment (background checks, references, medical, and several interviews) builds a picture of your strengths and support needs. This culminates in a report to fostering panel which makes a recommendation; the service then issues a decision. (Timelines vary, but six to eight months is typical in England.)

6) Matching and first placement. Once approved, your supervising social worker will discuss referrals that match your approval terms (age range, number of children, needs). You can say yes or no based on the information provided.

Events and the regional hub (Fostering South East)

Medway participates in Local Authority Fostering South East (Fostering South East)—a regional partnership that runs regular virtual information sessions and acts as a single front door for enquiries across 17+ councils in the region. It’s a great way to get quick answers and understand local demand across Kent/Medway and nearby authorities. You can contact the hub by phone 0300 131 2797 or via the email published on Medway’s events page.

Local contacts (Medway Council)

If you prefer to speak directly with Medway’s team, use the official council channels:

• Medway Fostering Team (phone): 01634 335726. This number appears on Medway’s fostering communications and is used across several council resources.
• Fostering pages: Medway’s main fostering portal (register interest, learn about support and process).
• Private fostering (if you’re caring for someone else’s child for 28+ days outside the fostering system): 01634 335726; private.fostering@medway.gov.uk for advice/notification.

Prefer a regional first step? Call the Fostering South East hub: 0300 131 2797—they’ll route you to the right team and upcoming webinars.

How Medway compares with IFAs (independent fostering agencies)

Alongside local authorities, several independent fostering agencies (IFAs) support placements across Kent and Medway. IFAs often package the child allowance together with a carer fee, sometimes sitting above local-authority totals depending on complexity, training and availability. Examples operating in Kent/Medway include Lighthouse Fostering and Heath Farm (part of the NFA group); always compare support, training, respite, out-of-hours cover, and fees—not just headline pay.

Tip: When you request figures, ask for a written breakdown separating the child’s allowance (which must meet at least the national minimum) from any carer fee/skill level payment, plus what’s covered (mileage, birthdays/holidays, equipment) and what requires pre-approval.

Money matters: what to budget and claim

• Allowances vs fees. Your weekly package typically combines the child allowance (for day-to-day costs) and a fee recognising your role. Medway also offers the £600 annual council tax contribution for approved carers (after year one), which helps with household costs.
• Mileage, activities, equipment. Talk to your supervising social worker about what can be claimed separately (e.g., additional mileage for school runs/contact, specialist equipment). Medway’s fees/allowances page explains benefits interactions and what to tell benefits providers.

Ready to take the next step?

1. Book a Medway info call: 01634 335726. Ask about upcoming training dates, current placement needs (ages/sibling groups/UASC), and how the allowance + fee works in your circumstances.
2. Join a regional webinar with Fostering South East to hear from experienced carers and staff across the region: 0300 131 2797.
3. Read Medway’s pages on the fostering process, types of care, and fees/allowances so you’re clear on requirements, training and support before your home visit.

Key takeaways

• Rates: For 2025/26, Medway (South East band) minimum weekly allowances are £189–£288 depending on age; packages may be higher once carer fees are included.
• Requirements: A spare bedroom, stable home life, DBS/medical checks, references, and completion of Skills to Foster training.
• Local perks: Medway offers an annual £600 council tax contribution for approved carers, in addition to allowance/fees.
• Contacts: Medway Fostering Team 01634 335726; Fostering South East hub 0300 131 2797 for regional sessions and quick answers.

If you’d like, I can tailor this into a printable one-pager or add a comparison table of Medway vs nearby councils/IFAs with support and fee structures side-by-side.