Children in Care Allowance – Foster Care Service

Overview

A Children in Care Allowance – Foster Care Service is awarded to authorised foster carers providing a foster care service to a child.

Moreover, this allowance is paid until a child reaches twenty-one (21) years of age.

For information regarding cross-border situations please click here.

What you’ll get

The payment for this allowance is issued every thirteen (13) weeks in advance.

When foster parents of a fostered child decide to adopt this same child, the Foster Care Allowance will be gradually stopped over a period of four (4) years, or until the child reaches twenty-one (21) years of age, whichever comes first. In such circumstances, in the subsequent first year of adoption, eighty (80%) of the Foster Care Allowance will continue to be paid, sixty (60%) will be paid for the second year, forty (40%) in the third year and twenty (20%) for the fourth year.

Please click here for a Schedule of Benefits Rates.

Eligibility

General eligibility criteria:

• Married couples, Civil Union couples, Cohabiting couples or single individuals (in particular cases only), irrespective of their age, class, race and religion, may become foster carers after undergoing the training necessary to equip them with the skills and knowledge required to provide quality care. This is followed by an assessment and approval by the Fostering and Adoption Board.

Documentation Required

General documentation:

• Click here to download the document for the declaration to be signed by both fosterers and endorsed by Aġenzija Appoġġ.
• A copy of the decision letter issued by the Fostering Board is to be submitted with the application.

How to apply

Fill in and submit the application online.

The application must be submitted within six (6) months from initialization of fostering as stipulated by the Social Security Act (Cap. 318.). The allowance, or part of it, may be forfeited if the application is submitted late.