Northern Ireland

> Interagency Fees
> Medical Fees
> Foster Care Allowances
> Adoption Allowances
> Statutory adoption pay and paternity pay

Interagency fees

These are fees that agencies are recommended to charge for inter-agency placements.

Download:Inter-agency Fees 2007-2008 (pdf)

Fees in previous years
Inter-agency Fees 2006-2007 (pdf)
Inter-agency Fees 2005-2006 (pdf)
Inter-agency Fees 2004-2005 (pdf)

Also see:
Form H1 and H2 (1996)
Inter-agency placement agreement form.

To read pdfs you will need Acrobat Reader (download free from Adobe).

Medical fees

From August 2006, there was a change in the system for determining fees for sessional work, and work under the collaborative arrangements. See information concerning the BMA recommended fees for adoption and fostering, including all BAAF health assessment forms in this pdf.
At June 2008 this is information is still current and up-to-date. Although we have expressed our dissatisfaction at this change, there is unfortunately little we can do, as this is part of a much larger issue regarding GP contracts.   Local negotiations must therefore continue.

For information on the VAT ruling for medical services, implemented in May 2007, please see the BMA website

Also see:

> BAAF's medical and social report forms
> Practice Note 47

Foster care allowances

Currently foster carers are entitled to allowances to cover the cost of caring for children in their home plus extra allowances to cover special events such as birthdays. These allowances will be based on the needs of the child although the Fostering Network publishes recommended minimum allowances http://www.fostering.net for the UK.

Local authorities and agencies are not required by law to pay these recommended minimum allowances and as a result there is great variation in amounts paid to foster carers and many do not receive enough to cover their costs. In addition these allowances do not include any payment to take account of the foster carers skills, training or experience.

BAAF and the Fostering Network are now campaigning for a minimum allowance to be set and for all foster carers to be regarded as professionals who are paid for their skills. Read more about our campaign, and read our foster care position statement about the strategic development of foster care.

Adoption allowances

Adoption allowances may be paid under certain circumstances where it is considered that an adoption would not otherwise be possible or practical. An allowance might be paid to help adopters cope with the costs involved for caring for a group of siblings or a child with special needs.

The circumstances in which an adoption allowance can be paid, the procedure for determining whether an allowance should be paid and how much are all set out in the Adoption Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 (Statutory Rule 1996 No. 438) http://www.hmso.gov.uk

Statutory Adoption Pay and Paternity Pay

New rights to statutory adoption pay and leave and statutory paternity pay and leave came into force on 8th December 2002. They apply to couples or single people adopting a child under UK law.

These rights to statutory adoption pay and statutory paternity pay are provided for in the Employment (Northern Ireland) Order 2002, are set out in the Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 (Statutory Rule 2002 No. 378) http://www.northernireland-
legislation.hmso.gov.uk

Statutory Adoption Pay is paid for a maximum of 26 weeks at £102.80 or 90% of average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).

Statutory Paternity Pay is paid for a maximum of 2 weeks at £102.80 or 90% of average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).

A summary of the entitlements to leave and pay for people adopting a child under UK law can be found at:
Statutory Adoption Pay http://www.ssani.gov.uk/
Statutory Paternity Pay(Adoption)
http://www.ssani.gov.uk