Private fostering is any arrangement made privately for the care of a child under 16 years of age (or 18 if a child with disabilities) by someone other than a parent or close relative for a period of 28 days or more.
Privately fostered children are a diverse and sometimes vulnerable group. They include:
- Children whose parent’s cannot look after them because of illness, work or study
- Children from abroad sent to stay with another family
- Asylum seeking and refugee children
- Teenagers who, having broken ties with their families, are staying with friends or other non-relatives usually on a short term basis
- Language students living with host families.
- Children staying with families while attending a school away from their home
Privately fostered children are very vulnerable if private fostering arrangements have not been notified to the local authority, as the arrangement is then not subject to scrutiny or support. Local authorities are therefore required to promote awareness of the notification requirements in their local area.
The Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations 2005 require local authorities to satisfy themselves that the welfare of all children who are privately fostered in the area is being satisfactorily safeguarded and promoted and set out the duties the local authority must undertake to ensure this.
The local authority should be notified of any proposed private fostering arrangement and must satisfy itself about the suitability of the proposed arrangement. Having satisfied itself about the arrangement it must then visit on a regular basis and monitor the arrangement.
Any agency which becomes aware of a private fostering arrangement should notify Children’s Social Care immediately. Children’s Social Care will then complete an assessment of the arrangement under The Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations 2005.
Privately fostered children should be seen alone unless this is considered inappropriate and be given contact details of the responsible social worker.
If there are any concerns that a child placed in a private fostering arrangement is being abused the Safeguarding Procedures will apply and investigation will proceed under the procedures for the management of individual cases. The parent of the child should be immediately informed and the parent will be a key decision maker during the investigation and in decisions about the future care of the child.
If it is established that a private foster carer has abused a child the authority may impose a prohibition on that person preventing them from fostering children.
Ref:
Children Act 1989 Guidance on Private Fostering 2005
