Fostering Achievement - Questions

I am afraid that provisions from the scheme are limited to children and young people in foster care not Carers themselves. Carers can avail of our training however.

Credits are scaled according to the young persons age. The guidelines exist: * £300 for 0 to 4 year olds * £450 for 5 to 9 year olds * £600 for 10 to 14 year olds * £800 for those aged 15 years or over. This credit is renewed annually each April. Credits cannot ‘roll-over’ from one financial year to the next.

The £800 goes towards payment of the computer, a printer (if required), installation of the computer and setup of antivirus and parental control software, Microsoft Word Office Professional and a one year warranty of the computer and software. Fostering Achievement are also providing an annual service of the computer to make sure it continues to run smoothly.

The foster carer must have been through and completed the full approval process including approval by the panel.

General items provided for shared use should stay with the present foster carer and specific items provided to a child or young person should move with them when they move. For provision which is less obvious, consideration should be taken regarding the child or young person’s and the present foster carer’s current needs for the item(s) in question.

It takes a minimum of 2 weeks for the development worker to attain approval for the item requested. Once the order is submitted the Fostering Network office needs at least a week (depending on their current workload) to process the order. Then it depends upon the supplier. Some suppliers can post the items within days of receiving the order. Other items, such as garden play equipment may take up to 5 weeks for delivery and then additional time if it requires installation. There is an allowance of 10 weeks from order time to installation of computers. Sometimes orders can be longer if the supplier does not have the items in stock. If there is a delay on delivery of your item please contact the Fostering Network office for advice.

Respite credits are no longer provided by Fostering Achievement.

Yes, your Fostering Achievement development worker can talk to teachers in the school. They can also help you with preparing questions to ask at parent teacher meetings.

Fostering Achievement usually tries to provide lessons through Acclaim or Ians driving schools in most cases. This £800 package includes 30 driving lessons, theory CDROM or DVD, theory test, practical test and use of a car for all lessons including pre-test lesson and the practical test itself.

Contact your development worker who can ask permission to provide some more lessons which hopefully will help the young person pass his/her driving test.

Firstly, if you are receiving a computer through Fostering Achievement you can ask the Ignite engineers any questions you have about computers when the engineer is in your home setting up the computer. Secondly, you can contact Ignite by telephone to help solve problems you are having with your computer. Thirdly, Fostering Achievement provide workshops on computer skills and internet safety advice.

This depends on the circumstances. For example, if the computer has been provided in a household for several children/young people to access then it may be considered a genereral use item. However, if it has been provided for a young person to support their GCSE coursework and that young person needs regular access to a computer for that purpose then the computer may be considered specific to that young person and may need to move with them when they move placement.

If there is a problem with the computer you received through Fostering Achievement, please contact Ignite IT on 0844 736 5355.

As a government funded scheme, Fostering Achievement is committed to ensuring that children and young people will be safe during activities paid for by the scheme. The development worker will need to contact the individual or organisation service provider and verify that they have been suitably police checked, are qualified to provide the activity concerned and have the necessary documentation (e.g. child protection policy/insurance). Fostering Achievement can help the organisation/individual put these things in place if necessary (e.g. undertake an AccessNI police check). Understandably, these procedures can take a little bit of time therefore please speak to your development worker well in advance of when you want the activity to start.

Yes. Fostering Achievement would encourage you to use the individuals/organisations that they have checked already- please ask your development worker.