Ms Lara Hynes:

There are a number of programme for Government commitments around foster care. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to increase the foster care allowance and ensure increases in the new initial placement payment, which was introduced this year. That is an extra week's payment that is given to foster carers when a new child is placed with them. There is also a commitment in the programme for Government to develop a pension solution for foster carers, although that is something that will have to be done on a cross-government basis. There is also a commitment to examine the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance eligibility issue.