Foster carer challenges Kirklees Council in payments row

May 29 2009 by Henryk Zientek, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

“Although some of the placements have been challenging, I consider that I have worked well with the social workers, my link worker and the parents and relatives of the children in my care.”

Mr Priestley said the reason for Kirklees de-registering his client was due to overpayments in fostering allowances that she received from the council between 2007 and 2008.

From April, 2007, her wage slips were “hit and miss” and in September, 2007, she stopped receiving them altogether.

Mr Priestley said his client then had two house moves, both of which were known to Kirklees.

Said the woman: “In March, 2008, I telephoned the local authority payroll department to query why I was not receiving my wage slips.

“The gentleman on the phone told me that according to their records I had two children in placement. I told him this was incorrect and that I only had one child in placement. He also read out an incorrect address and I informed him of my correct address details.

“There was no men tion during the course of this conversation regarding how much I was being paid. I had been under the impression that my link worker was responsible for notifying the other internal departments regarding children moving placement and change of address.

“I had no reason to suspect that the local authority held incorrect details as my link worker continued to visit me every six to eight weeks at my new address.’’