Ms Corrinne Hasson:

Unfortunately, we do not have a financial figure on the impact but we know foster carers are leaving foster caring because of finances. They do not like to talk about it because it makes people feel that is why they are in fostering when it is absolutely not. Our concern is that if the financial increases are not put in, we are going to lose more foster carers. Those children will end up in residential care and that becomes more costly to the State and it is obviously not the right place for children. We would welcome research on that. We can see about getting funding for research on that impact. That would give us a better figure. The concern for us is that it is more costly to the State but there is also an impact on the child who is not where they should be.