To ask the Minister of Health how his Department is assessing the needs of families providing fostering or kinship care, in light of the circumstances of COVID-19, with a view to augmenting funding for the voluntary sector support organisations.

All Trusts have monitoring arrangements in place, reviewing cases frequently to ensure that foster placements are being appropriately supported and, as issues are being raised, they are being addressed.

From the outset of lockdown, foster carers were given a one-off £100 payment to support children by purchasing games, craftwork or learning material. In response to the main pressures identified by foster carers, a 20% uplift per child was applied to the food and household elements of the foster care allowance for a period of up to 12 weeks.

My Department currently provides Core Grant funding to Community and Voluntary sector organisations who support children in foster care and children who have been adopted from care.