Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) her Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies offers employees who are foster carers (i) flexible working, (ii) paid time off for (A) training and (B) settling a new child into their home and (iii) other support.

At MHCLG:

(i) Employees have a statutory right to request flexible working which applies from the first day of employment. Employees can make two statutory requests for flexible working in any 12-month period. This will include requests to support employees who undertake foster caring outside of their employment. In addition, foster carers may apply for flexible working when settling a new child into their home.

(ii) We do not have a policy which explicitly covers paid time off for fosters carers for (A) training. (B) Up to 10 days in a 12-month rolling period can be taken at the start of a planned permanent placement to help the child settle. If both parents are employed by the department, one parent would receive up to 10 days and the other up to 5 days.

Employees are able to take annual and flexi leave as required and request flexible working. In addition, employees are able to take upto 15 days paid time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant.

(iii) Prospective adopters under a 'fostering to adopt' arrangement, can take up to 5 days paid leave in a rolling 12 month period. Employees can also take 5 days special leave without pay to attend meetings, training, unforeseen emergencies relating to their fostering role or to accommodate an emergency placement. In addition, we also allow employees to take up to 5 days paid special leave to attend non emergency medical appointments for dependants where these cannot be booked in working time.

Employees of Arms Length Bodies are able to take annual leave as required and request flexible working. In addition, employees are able to take time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant. Other paid or unpaid time off provisions vary between each individual employer.