Perks and benefits for foster carers

Buckinghamshire Council foster carers get a full Council Tax refund of their previous year's payment if they're approved and foster with us.

Groups eligible for the offer include:

• mainstream foster carers
• respite carers
• family and friends
• early permanence carers

Find out more by viewing our fostering perks terms and conditions.

Buckinghamshire Council foster carers are entitled to receive the following waste options free of charge:

• larger bins (general waste and recycling)
• annual subscription for garden waste collection
• up to 2 bulky waste collections per financial year

Groups eligible for the offer include:

• mainstream foster carers
• respite carers
• family and friends
• early permanence carers

Find out more by viewing our fostering perks terms and conditions.

Buckinghamshire Council foster carers and their fostered children are entitled to:

• free health and fitness membership at one of the participating leisure centres across Buckinghamshire
• free family annual pass to the Bucks Museum and Roald Dahl Gallery

Groups eligible for the offer include:

• mainstream foster carers
• respite carers
• family and friends
• early permanence carers
• looked after children

From August to 4 November 2024, Buckinghamshire Council foster carers can book up 1 family swim and 1 soft play/inflatable adventure bounce session at participating leisure centres with each of the operators below:

• Places Leisure: Wycombe Leisure Centre (inflatable adventure bounce), Risborough Springs Swim Centre, Court Garden Leisure Centre
• Everyone Active: Chilterns Lifestyle Centre (soft play), Chesham Leisure Centre (soft play), Chalfont Leisure Centre
• More Leisure: Aqua Vale Swimming and Fitness Centre, Swan Pool and Leisure Centre (soft play)

Foster carers and their families can enjoy up to 6 fun-filled sessions (3 family swims and 3 soft play sessions), depending on where you are happy to travel to.

The family tickets are for up to 2 adults and 4 children - these can be both looked after and birth children (refer to the specific leisure centre for rules to observe).

Find out more by viewing our fostering perks terms and conditions.

As a Buckinghamshire Council foster carer, you'll be entitled to book the following free events at Buckinghamshire Country Parks:

• forest schools (Tots Go Wild and Families Go Wild)
• trails (including SEND inclusive sessions)
• outdoor entertainment events
• bespoke fostering sessions

Groups eligible for the offer include:

• mainstream foster carers
• respite carers
• family and friends
• early permanence carers
• placed children
• foster carers’ birth children

Find out more by viewing our fostering perks terms and conditions.

From August 2024, eligible foster carers will be able to request gift vouchers worth up to £300 for use towards family visits to performances at ATG Theatres (which includes Aylesbury Waterside) and/or Wycombe Swan.

Groups eligible for the offer include:

• mainstream foster carers
• respite carers
• family and friends
• early permanence carers
• looked after children

Foster carers will also be to access discounted tickets at selected ATG shows and venues through the ATG Local Hero scheme.

Foster carers will also be updated on discounted selected performances available at Aylesbury Waterside theatre and Wycombe Swan.

Find out more by viewing our fostering perks terms and conditions.

Buckinghamshire Council foster carers are entitled to park for free in council-operated car parks as well as Buckinghamshire country parks, specifically:

• Black Park Country Park
• Langley Park Country Park
• Denham Country Park

The offer of free parking is available 7 days a week, subject to the opening times of individual car parks.

This offer is available to approved:

• mainstream foster carers
• respite carers
• 'family and friend' foster carers
• early permanence carers

Find out more by viewing our fostering perks terms and conditions.

Following the recent announcement by Arriva consulting on the closure of bus services in Buckinghamshire, we are revisiting the bus transport benefit and are hopeful we can agree an offer later in 2024.

We are currently reviewing and developing an offer to provide electronic devices for Buckinghamshire Council foster carers to help them manage the administration associated with children living in their care.