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Private fostering
Looking after someone else’s child (private fostering)
- Are you looking after someone else’s child?
- Is your child living with another family?
- Do you suspect that a child may be privately fostered?
Private fostering is when a child or young
person under 16-years-old (or 18 if they have a disability) is
looked after for 28 days or more by someone other than:
- a parent;
- a person who is not the parent but has parental
responsibility;
- a close relative – grandparent, biological uncle or aunt.
It is not private fostering if the arrangement was made by
Children’s Services or if the person looking after the child is an
approved foster carer.
There are many reasons why people privately foster and why a
parent would arrange for someone to care for their child for a
fixed period of time. Common situations may be:
- children, adolescents and teenagers living apart from their
families while their parents go to work, college or hospital;
- children with parents overseas;
- children living with host families;
- children on holiday exchanges.
Private fostering is arranged and agreed by the child’s
parent(s) and the person or family who will be caring for the
child. It is based on parental consent. If the parent has not
agreed for someone else to look after their child, then the
arrangement is not private fostering.
The parent is responsible for the financial upkeep of their
child with specific arrangements agreed between the parent and
carer.
If you receive child benefit and your child is going to be
privately fostered for more than six weeks, you must inform the
Department for Work and Pensions.
What the law says about who needs to know
By law, Children’s Services must be informed
about all private fostering situations. The child’s parent(s),
private foster carer and anyone involved in private fostering must
inform the authority in writing accordingly:
- If the child is not yet living with private foster carers - six
weeks before
- If the child will move in with private foster carers within six
weeks - immediately
- If the child is already with private foster carers -
immediately
What you should do
You should make sure Children’s Services are informed about any
private fostering arrangements you become aware of, if you make an
arrangement to care for a child yourself or arrange for your child
to be cared for by someone else. You can also contact us if you
think you may be privately fostered yourself.
Professionals should make sure Children’s Services is informed
about any private fostering arrangements. This includes a wide
range of people who regularly come into contact with children, such
as teachers, religious leaders, doctors and health visitors. All
professionals should encourage the child’s parent(s) and carer to
notify local Children’s Services.
You will not be breaching confidentiality by contacting
Children’s Services. You will be helping to safeguard children and
young people. If in doubt, ask.
Contact details are given at the bottom of the page for
more information, and for information about private fostering in
other languages.
What Children’s Services will do
Children’s Services has a duty to ensure that the welfare of
privately fostered children and young people is being promoted and
safeguarded.
They will work in partnership with the child, parent(s) and
carer to ensure that the best arrangements are in place by:
- making regular visits to the child and carer. This makes sure
the arrangements and premises are suitable;
- helping to make sure the child’s racial, cultural, linguistic
and religious needs are being met;
- offering advice and support to the child, their parents and the
private foster carer.
Children’s Services does not approve private foster carers
but:
- it has the power to stop the arrangement if the carer or
accommodation is not suitable;
- if it considers something is not right, it can instruct the
carer to take action to address the problem, for example,
installing smoke alarms.
The responsibilities of private foster carers
Private foster carers must offer the child a
safe, caring place to live and help them keep in touch with their
own family and social worker. They must also:
- arrange for the child to have a medical examination either
before or soon after the child comes to stay with them;
- ensure the child attends school;
- inform Children’s Services if anybody else comes to live with
them;
- inform Children’s Services when the child leaves and give the
address of the person who will be caring for the child.
Useful resources
Department for Education (www.education.gov.uk/)
Ofsted (www.ofsted.gov.uk/)
Somebody else’s child (www.privatefostering.org.uk/)
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