LARGER financial incentives are being offered in a renewed effort to recruit foster carers.

Basic allowances for foster carers are being increased in North Yorkshire. Someone who took in two children aged five to ten would receive about £20,000 a year tax-free.

The allowances replace a system that involved a complex payments package, and almost double the amount received.

Recruiting foster carers is a problem for the county council, which last year launched a recruitment campaign.

It has been a success, but recruitment is a continuous pro-cess, and the new payment scheme will bring the authority in line with rates recommended by the Foster Care Network.

County council executive member Caroline Patmore said: "I do not want people to think that caring for children is purely about money, but we do want to properly reward foster carers.

"Caring for children is very demanding and involves a great deal of commitment, but I know from the foster families I meet that there is a great sense of personal fulfilment."

The county council looks after 400 young people, from teenagers in care after a family breakdown to younger children needing a home after abuse or neglect.

The new weekly allowances will mean that, for carers joining the main fostering service, the rate will be £148 for a child under five, £174 for a five to ten-year-old, £214 for an 11 to 15-year-old, and £261 for anyone over 16.

The authority's head of children and families, Paul Davies, said: "In the past year, we have improved our support to foster carers with additional staff, a new service to support children in school, better access to health services than ever before and we are in the process of extending the training we currently offer."

To inquire about fostering, call Fostering North Yorkshire on 0800 389 2362.