"Someone Else's Child"

A Private Fostering Arrangement is essentially one that is made by a parent without the involvement of the Local Authority for the care of a child under the age of 16 ( under 18 if the child has a disability) by someone who is not a parent or close relative for 28 days or more.

Private Foster Carers may be from extended family members defined under the Children Act such as cousin, great aunt, in-law rather than a relative, i.e step-parent, grandparent,sibling or aunt.

Privately fostered children include children living apart from their families; teenagers who are estranged from their families and may be living with friends or non relatives on a short term basis; children sent from abroad to improve their educational opportunties and staying with another family, including children attending language schools and living with host families; children attending boarding school who may spend long holidays with host families; children attending boarding school who may spend long holidays with host families; asylum seeking and refugee children.

Many young people in a private fostering arrangement, parents or private foster carers are not aware that there is a legal requirement to notify the Local Authority of such an arrangement for their child. 

If you know of a child living in a Private Fostering Arrangement please contact the Customer Service Centre on 01482 395500 to make a referral.  If you would like to know more about Private Fostering itself please contact Dave Glenville on 01482 396673 or Ann-Marie Born on 01482 396992