1. Foster Carers: Advantages & Disadvantages of being paid like other care workers Marilyn McHugh Paper presented at the ACWA Conference: Positive Futures 14-16 August 2006 m.mchugh@unsw.edu.au www.sprc.unsw.edu.au

2. PhD Study on the Indirect Costs of Caring uSample of 30 female carers u Carers incur many direct and indirect costs uIn NSW carer subsidy covers direct costs: Care Allowance uThesis examines the indirect costs of fostering

3. Indirect Costs of Fostering vIndirect Costs include: vEmotional/psychological costs vTime Costs vOpportunity Costs

4. Emotional/Psychological Costs uFostering is about relationships with: vFoster Children vDepartmental workers vCarer's own family and friends vFoster children’s birth families

5. Time Costs of Fostering Table: Total Time Spent by carers in Fostering’s Tasks and Activities (Seven Day @ Week) Area 0-4 years5-10 years 11-16+ years All ages Hours per day Day-to day care8.16.83.256.5 Foster Care tasks3.13.84.84.1 Total hours of care 11.210.68.0510.6 Source: ‘Day-to-day care’ Ironmonger, 2004: 103 (Time Use Survey 1997) ‘Foster Care tasks & activities’: Oldfield, 1997: 154

6. Opportunity Costs uCarers perception of fostering’s costs and foregone earnings uIf not fostering? Jobs, voluntary or leisure activities uAge a factor re employment options uCarer financial situation when ceasing fostering.

7. Being paid to foster u‘ Foster carers should be treated like other workers in caring occupations u Three groups of carers: u‘No’ payment (n=13) u‘Yes’ payment (n=7) u‘Ambivalent’ (n=10)

8. Advantages of being paid uResponses (r) =43) uBenefits of paid work (r=16) uAssist potential carers (r=13) uBenefits to fostering (r=8) uBenefits for children (r=6)

9. Disadvantages of being paid uResponses=40 uNon-beneficial to fostering (r=17) uNon-beneficial to foster children (r=10) uNon-beneficial to carers (r=8) uIncongruity betwenn public/private sphere (r=6)

10. Summary: Time to consider payment to carers? uAlready happening in NGO uDifficulty in recruiting carers uFoster children’s more challenging behaviors uAssist in professionalizing fostering uRecognizes carer skills and expertise uImprove quality of fostering