Foster carer challenges Kirklees Council in payments row

May 29 2009 by Henryk Zientek, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A FOSTER carer who was “struck off” after Kirklees Council overpaid her fostering allowance to the tune of £12,000 is seeking to challenge the local authority in the courts.

The woman, who has not been named for legal reasons, is seeking a judicial review of the council’s decision to de-register her.

She is being backed by Huddersfield solicitor Nigel Priestley, who claimed: “At a time when the nation’s eyes are on the fate of MPs who have deliberately made false claims but who are keeping their jobs, this foster carer has been struck off because of an accounting mistake by Kirklees.

“It looks as if there is one law for those with power and another for ordinary people who make mistakes.”

The woman became a local authority foster carer for Kirklees two-and-a-half years ago and had five placements, including a current placement of two children. She has also undertaken respite care and emergency placements since becoming an approved foster carer in December, 2007.

She said: “There have been no problems as far as I am concerned with the care that I have provided to any of the children that I have fostered.