Private Fostering
Thousands of children across the UK are being cared for today by someone who isn't a close relative; this arrangement is know as private fostering.
What is a Private Fostering Arrangement?
A private fostering arrangement is essentially one that is made privately (that is to say without the involvement of the local authority) for the care of a child under the age of 16 (under 18, if disabled) by someone other than a parent or close relative with the intention that it should last 28 days or more.
Private foster carers may be from the extended family such as a cousin or great aunt. However, a person who is a relative under the Children Act 1989 i.e. a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt (whether of full blood or half blood or by marriage) or step-parent will not be a private foster carer. A private foster carer may be a friend of the family, the parent of a friend of the child, or someone previously unknown to the child's family who is willing to privately foster a child. The period for which the child is cared for and accommodated by the private foster carer should be continuous, but that continuity is not broken by the occasional short break.
The private foster carer becomes responsible for the day to day care of the child in a way which will safeguard and promote his welfare. Overarching responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the privately fostered child remains with the parent or other person with parental responsibility.
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Private arrangement
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Child under the age of 16 (18 if disabled)
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Longer than 28 days
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Carer someone other than close relative
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If a private fostering placement is identified a referral needs to be made to social care (referral and assessment team) so that an assessment can be made of the placement.
Examples of when a child be put into Private fostering
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a child staying with others while family circumstances are sorted e.g. mother unwell
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a child from another country staying with a person/family for a better life/education
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a teenager staying at a friend’s house due to difficulties in their own family relationships
**It is important to establish the relationship of the child to the carer to clarify whether a referral needs to be made e.g. in some communities the term "aunt" is used widely and may be the person children stay with when there are difficulties but she may not be an aunt as defined under the Children Act or may not be a relative at all.
For more information see:
BAAF (The British Association for Adoption & Fostering)
Or contact,
Coventry Referral & Assessments Centre
Southfields Old School
South Street
Hillfields
Coventry
CV1 5EJ
Tel: 024 7683 8555
Fax: 024 7622 5134
Email: privatefostering@coventry.gov.uk
