A FOSTER mother who was told she will receive no financial support from social services is now caring for her fostered children alone after her husband was jailed.

Donna Sellers cares for two teenage girls at her Stamford Bridge home, but only receives basic state benefit of £11 a week per child in return.

She claims City of York Council did not make it clear when she offered the girls a home that it was a "private arrangement" and she would receive no help.

She said she was shocked by a North Yorkshire County Council poster campaign, supported by the city council, advertising foster carers' £15,000 salaries.

"When I saw the news I was angry," she said. "How do you keep two teenage girls on £22 a week? I'm not asking for the £15,000 a year to do it as a job, I just want some contribution."

Her husband, John - who runs Sellers Plant Hire - was jailed for 18 months by York Crown Court last week after he admitted assaulting three people at an Elvington pub.

Donna fears the loss of half her household income could place further pressure on the family.

She said: "I'm going to have to be more careful about what I spend on things we actually need and things that are excessive. But I do not want the girls to be without." The mother-of-two took in Louanne Richardson, 14, from York, in February and Holly Dowson, 15, from Hull, in May.

Hull City Council is responsible for Holly's arrangements.

Social workers told Donna she should seek support from the girls' parents.

Donna said: "To start with it was not made clear. I thought there would be some support.

"I did not choose to have these children, but when it becomes clear that they are in dire straits and you can give them a better standard of life, what do you do?

"I have not had those kids and have no way to get maintenance for them."

Ruth Love, from City of York Council's community services department, said officers were involved only to ensure Louanne's accommodation was acceptable.

She said: "The arrangements between Ms Sellars and Louanne's parents are private and in some ways these arrangements are more akin to childminding arrangements.

"As the parent has set up this arrangement themselves, the financial arrangements are between the parent and the carers."

Jackie Sanders, from the national charity Fostering Network, said: "Even if she is in a private arrangement the local authority should have an assessment to see if the people looking the children require more support.

"Councils do have the power to give financial support even if the children are not in the care system."

Updated: 09:44 Wednesday, October 19, 2005