Private fostering
Private fostering
When a child under the age of 16 (under 18 if disabled) is cared for 28 days or more by someone who is not their parent or a close relative this is called a private fostering arrangement. It is a private arrangement as it is one made without the involvement of a local authority, between a parent and a carer. Such a carer is called a private foster carer and the child or young person is considered to be 'privately fostered'.
Close relatives are defined as step parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, uncles or aunts (whether of full blood, half blood or by marriage).
The London Borough of Southwark has a legal duty to ensure that any child or young person is safe, well looked after and does not come to any harm in a private fostering arrangement, by making sure that he/she and their carer are visited regularly and where necessary offered advice and support. Support could be in the form of financial help in certain cases and/or information about any local support networks for carers. Carers may be able to claim additional benefits from the appropriate benefits agencies.
What you must do
The law requires you to notify Southwark Children's Services within 6 weeks of:
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Your child going to stay with someone who is not a close relative for 28 days or more, or
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You going to look after someone else's child for 28 days or more
If you know someone in a personal or a professional capacity you are also required to notify the local authority of someone who is going to be privately fostering or has started privately fostering a child or young person.
How to notify Southwark Children's Services
To notify Children's Services about a child who is going to stay with someone who is not a close relative, please ring Referral and Assessment Duty on 020 7525 1921.
If a child or a young person is already staying with someone who is not a close relative you must notify Children's Services immediately on 020 7525 1921.
Advice and information
Children's Services will offer help and answer any queries you may have. They won't want to interfere with the private fostering arrangement - just ensure that it is meeting the needs of the privately fostered child or young person.
If you have a query, want advice or information please contact the Family & Friends Team directly on 020 7525 7972.
Examples of private fostering arrangements
Private fostering situations can include:
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Children or young people who are sent to this country for education or health care by their birth parents from overseas
- Teenagers living with a friend's family because they do not get on with their own family
- Children living with a friend's family because their parents' study or work involves unsociable hours, which makes it difficult to use ordinary day care or after school care
- Children staying with another family because their parents have divorced or separated, are hospitalised or imprisoned
- A child from overseas staying with a host family while attending school, or overseas students at boarding school who stay with a host family during the holidays
What Southwark Children's Services must do
The council has a legal requirement to make sure that all children and young people in the borough not living with their parents, for whatever reason, are safe and that they are receiving the services and protection they need and are entitled to.
If a child or a young person is already is already staying with someone who is not a close relative you must notify Children's Services immediately on 020 7525 1921.
Further information
Please note that it is an offence not to notify London Borough of Southwark of a private fostering arrangement. Failure to inform the council may result in legal proceedings taking place.
Information for children and young people
The private fostering website provides useful information for children and young people where you can find out about:
- What your private foster carer must do for you
- What a private foster carers must not do
- What to do if you are having problems living with your private foster carer
Downloads
Private fostering leaflets
Private fostering reports and statements
Information for the public
British Association for Adoption and Fostering Some body else's child website
Information for those who work with children
Pages on British Association for Adoption and Fostering Some body else's child website
Information for private foster carers
Pages on British Association for Adoption and Fostering Somebody else's child website
Referral and Assessment Duty
Tel: 020 7525 1921
