Private Fostering
Private Fostering
is when a child or young person under 16 (or 18 if disabled) goes
to live for 28 days or more with someone who is
not a:
- Parent (including step parent).
- Close relative (grandparent, aunt or uncle, brother or
sister).
- Guardian (or person with parental responsibility).
Private Fostering is different from public fostering, where a
child is accommodated by the local authority, and is usually
arranged by the parent and carer.
Examples of Private Fostering
include:
- A teenager living with a friend's family because of problems at
home.
- A child living with the unmarried partner of a parent, when the
parent leaves the home.
- Children from overseas who come here without a parent for a
holiday exchange, educational course or to seek asylum.
- Children with parents whose study or work involves long or
unsociable hours.
If your child is going to be privately fostered or you are a
private foster carer the law says that you must tell the
Children's Services within your Local Authority about it six
weeks beforehand, or immediately if the arrangement has already
begun.
It is an offence not to do so.
The law also includes any third party involved in making the
arrangement, for example a language college, and any organisation,
for example a school, in contact with a child or young person who
is privately fostered if that organisation believes
that Children's Services have not been told by the carer
or parent.
This page was last reviewed 21 February 2012 at 12:58.
The page is next due for review 19 August 2013.