Private Fostering

What is Private Fostering?

Private Fostering is when a child or young person under the age of 16 years old (18 if they have a disability) is looked after for 28 days or more by someone who isn’t a close relative , guardian, or person with parental responsibility. Close relatives include parents, step-parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents.

The law states that carers and parents must notify the Local Authority of any private fostering arrangement. They need to be sure that the child is safe, happy and healthy and offer support to the private foster carer when needed.

Why might a child be privately fostered?

A private fostering arrangement might happen for a number of reasons. This might include:

A teenager living with the family of a boyfriend, girlfriend or a school friend because of a family breakdown
A child living with a friend of their family because of a separation, divorce or arguments at home
A child needing to be cared for because a parent has a long-term illness and is unable to look after their child
A child being sent to this country by their parents who are living overseas;
A child needing to be cared for because their parent(s) work away from home or work particularly long or unsociable hours
A child staying more than 28 days as part of a foreign exchange trip/language school visit

When should the council be told about a private foster care arrangement?

The law requires that Children’s Social Care be told about a private foster care arrangement at least 6 weeks before the intention to privately foster a child or young person. However, if such an arrangement is made in an emergency, then Children’s Social Care should be informed within 48 hours of the caring for a child or young person.

If the private fostering arrangement changes or ends, the Local Authority must be notified within 48 hours of the placement ending. The name and address of the person who has taken over the care of the child must be provided.

More information about private fostering or if you want to inform Children’s Social Care about a private fostering arrangement, please call 01983 823436.

Any person or agency who believes a child is in a private fostering arrangement is expected to refer this to Children Services; it is a requirement to notify the local authority of an arrangement that an agency is aware of. An agency is expected to inform the parent/ guardian / private foster carer that this is being done.

This also includes children who are privately fostered through language school arrangements or through boarding arrangements at school during holiday periods.

Isle of Wight Council's Private Fostering Statement of Purpose

The responsibility of a private foster carer

To notify the Isle of Wight Council's Children’s Social Care 48 hours before the intention to privately foster a child - for over 28 days

To obtain written consent from the parents to have the day to day responsibility of their child
To keep in touch with the child’s parents
To make sure they have the background information (including medical history) of the child before he or she is placed with them
Register the child at their GP

The responsibility of the local authority

A local authority has a duty to satisfy itself that children privately fostered are being appropriately cared for, that they are safeguarded and their welfare promoted and to ensure that advice and support for those caring for them is provided.

The reason Children's Services need to know is that the Children’s Act 1989 gives the local authority's children’s services a legal duty to safeguard the wellbeing of all children. This includes making sure children are:

safe
well looked after
healthy
receive an education
encouraged to reach their full potential
keep in touch with people who are important to them
are supported when they become independent.

The responsibility of professionals and other agencies

Any person or agency who believes a child is in a private fostering arrangement is expected to refer this to Children's Social Care. An agency is expected to inform the parent/ guardian / private foster carer that this is being done.

Notifications should be made by calling Children Social Care on 01983 823436

How will I recognise if a child is privately fostered?

Has a child mentioned they are no longer living at home/living with someone else?
Is the child accompanied to school by someone other than a parent/recognised carer?
has a patient turned up at the GP surgery with a new child/series of different children?
Is a child frequently absence from school?
is there anything unclear on files/records about the child's living arrangements?
is it clear who the child is living with, and what relation the person is to the child?
has the child come from overseas? do you know the reason for the child's entrance to the UK?
Is the child in the UK for the purpose of education?
Is the child an unaccompanied asylum seeker

Private Fostering

What is Private Fostering?

Why might a child be privately fostered?

When should the council be told about a private foster care arrangement?

The responsibility of a private foster carer

The responsibility of the local authority

The responsibility of professionals and other agencies

IOW Council Private Fostering

IOW Council Children and Family Support

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