Clothing, Pocket Money and Allowances

Principles

Pocket money, leisure and clothing allowances provided within residential care can be used to help children develop money management and finance skills and awareness.

Principles - Clothing and Other Allowances

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.

Principles – Pocket Money

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

The giving of pocket money must be recorded and, preferably, signed for by the child.

Children should be encouraged and supported to open and maintain bank accounts and, if possible, their pocket money and other allowances should be paid into these accounts.

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 a serious. If there is a serious risk, the arrangements for giving money to the child may have to be restricted, but a Manager should make such a decision

Deductions from pocket money 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 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 four weeks.