You receive a monthly stipend to reimburse you for the care of your foster child.  The reimbursement amount is based on the “Level of Care” (no longer by age). This amount is adequate to cover the child’s basic needs. 

With this money, you are expected to provide food, clothing, recreation, transportation, and school needs. Your payment is received in arrears, meaning that you provide the care, and you are reimbursed the following month.

For example, let's take an agency that pays parents on the 20th of the month. For children placed in your home on the 10th of July, if you are getting paid on the 20th, the payment on the 20th will not include reimbursement for children placed on the 10th. 

Payment is for the previous full month. So, the children placed on the 10th of July will be in your August 20th check.