Pocket Money and Allowances

Upon admission the Young Person will be informed of their personal allowance:

• Pocket money;
• Clothing allowance;
• Semi-independence allowance (where applicable).

The Young Person will be informed of the arrangements in receiving their allowance, and of any reasons why their allowance is withheld: e.g. sanctions.

On receiving their weekly pocket money allowance, the young person is to sign the appropriate Young Person’s Monies Log.

Subject to risk assessments the Young Person is to be encouraged to manage their own finances through help with budgeting and banking.

Suitable and acceptable clothing and personal requisites are bought for any child who does not wish, or is unable, to purchase their own. The young person is to be encouraged to exercise choice in the clothes and personal requisites they buy, and to buy these through normal shopping arrangements. Younger children are accompanied by staff and if appropriate older children are given the choice of shopping alone or with the guidance of staff, subject to a risk assessment.

Crystal Care Solutions will promote the cultural, racial, ethnic or religious expectations regarding the choice of clothes or personal requisites of each young person.

Requests for special allowances are to be made directly to the registered Care Manager, and/or Deputy Care Manager.

Each child should be given an amount of pocket money, usually weekly.

If there are concerns about the manner in which children are spending their money or allowances, these concerns should be discussed with the child and the social worker if the concern is serious. If there is a serious risk, the arrangements for giving money to the child may have to be immediately restricted, but a Manager should make such a decision.

Deductions may not be made from children’s Pocket Money for fines or Sanctions except for reparation of malicious damage or to pay fines determined by a Court. 

If the Court imposes such deductions or fines, not more than two thirds of a child’s pocket money may be taken in any week.

If staff/carers impose such deductions for reparation in the home, not more than two thirds of a child’s pocket money may be taken in any week for a period of not more than six weeks. A clear and accurate record of monies withheld from the young person is to be kept and accessible on request to the young person.

Children should be informed what allowances or financial arrangements exist for the purchase of clothing, personal requisites (such as hair care products), birthdays and religious festivals. 

Over time, depending on their age and level of understanding, they should be given freedom and responsibility to budget for and spend allowances for their clothing and personal requisites; preferably as part of a plan to prepare children for independence.

Even if children are not allowed to purchase clothing and other personal requisites, they should be involved in decision making and exercise choice, through normal shopping arrangements. 

The arrangements for accessing and spending clothing and other allowances should be recorded. Where allowances are given directly to children they should preferably be signed for by the child.

Deductions from clothing or other allowances should not normally be made as a Sanction or to pay for fines imposed by the Court.