Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance extended to Kildare Foster Care Families
Foster care families can make an application online on www.MyWelfare.ie
Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary TD, has announced that the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance eligibility is being extended to include children for whom Foster Care Allowance is being paid, including Kildare families.
The Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance provides a once-off, means tested payment to eligible families towards the cost of school clothing and footwear.
The rate of payment for 2025 is €160 for children aged 4 - 11 and €285 for children aged 12 years and over in second level education.
It is estimated that up to 2,300 children, for whom Foster Care Allowance is being paid, will now qualify for the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.
Commenting on the extension, Minister Calleary said: “Foster carers play an essential role in our care system, and I am committed to supporting them. That’s why I am really pleased to announce that children for whom Foster Care Allowance is being paid will now be eligible for the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.
“In the Programme for Government, we said that we would examine the Back-to-School eligibility criteria to allow flexibility for foster carers and I am pleased to fulfil this commitment. We expect some 2,300 children in foster care will now be eligible for this important allowance and I encourage foster care families to apply online at MyWelfare.”
The Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme is currently open and foster care families can make an application online on www.MyWelfare.ie
Welcoming the extension, Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley TD, added: “Foster carers look after around 87 per cent of children in State care and they do so much great work every day. They have campaigned for years for the right to get the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance for the children they care for, and it is fantastic that this now has become a reality.
“I want to thank Minister Calleary and his Department for their proactive approach to this and I will work to provide further supports for our invaluable foster carers.”