Private fostering is an arrangement where a child under the age of 16 (or 18 if the child has a disability) is cared for by someone who is not the parent, a person with parental responsibility or a close relative of a child. They must have been caring for a child or have the intention to care for a child for 28 days or more.
A private foster carer could 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 look after them. They could also be from the extended family such as a cousin or great aunt. If a child is being cared for by a close relative such as a grandparent, brother or sister, uncle, or aunt or step-parent then this is not a private fostering arrangement.
Notify Children's Services
The parent making the arrangement should notify Children’s Services at least 6 weeks before the arrangement starts or as soon as possible after the arrangement has been made. You will be asked to provide details about your child and give the name and address of the proposed private foster carers. Agencies becoming aware of a child living away from their parents care for 28 days or more need to notify Children’s Services immediately.
Children’s Services can be notified by calling the Cumberland Safeguarding Hub.
Telephone: 0333 240 1727
As private fostering is an arrangement that you have made as a parent it can be hidden from agencies who have a responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children. It is a statutory duty for Children’s Services to keep a record of all private fostering arrangements in their area. They need to ensure that they are assessed as suitable and are monitored by a social worker for as long as the arrangement remains in place. It is an offence for individuals and agencies not to notify Children’s Services of the existence of a private fostering arrangement.
If you're the parent or carer of the child or children
After Children's Services have been notified your child will be allocated a social worker and they will visit your child within seven days, they will speak to your child, all the private foster carers household members and meet with you if this is practically possible. They will make some initial checks to make sure that the arrangements are suitable, such as your child has a bedroom and that they are enrolled with a GP and have a school to go to.
Following the initial checks then a longer more detailed private fostering assessment will be completed by the social worker. This involves making enquiries about the carers and their suitability to meet a child’s needs. The social worker will then write a report and make a recommendation about whether the private fostering arrangement is suitable for your child.
As a parent you remain the person responsible for financially supporting a private fostering arrangement. The private foster carer should ensure that they are in receipt of all welfare benefits they are entitled to and any other benefits that parents are eligible for. If Children’s Services considers your child to be a ‘child in need, they have power to provide discretionary financial support under s17 of the Children Act 1989.
Parental rights
You will continue to have parental rights and responsibility for your child. The private foster carer becomes the primary carer for your child and has authority over day-to-day decisions but they do not have parental responsibility.
A parent with parental responsibility can delegate certain responsibilities to the private foster carer such as some decisions in relation to your child’s health and education. This means that you must provide as much information as possible and work closely with the private foster carers looking after your child to make sure that you both agree on who is responsible for which elements of your child’s care.
The role of the social worker
Your child’s social worker should advise you if they assess that the private fostering arrangements are not suitable for your child so that you can make a different, safer plan for your son or daughter.
Your social worker can help you to write an agreement with the private foster carer to cover essential matters to do with your child’s care, such as delegating some decision making to them. This is important so that the private foster carer can look after your child well and so your child understands such things as when they are going to spend time with you as their parent.
Your social worker will visit your child every six weeks for the first year (after the initial visit within seven days) and then every 12 weeks in the second year. A social worker will visit more frequently if your child wants them to.
The social worker can also support you and the private foster carers with:
- signposting to advice on claiming benefits or exploring funding for some essential items for your child
- general parenting support and advice
- helping to bring families in crisis back together
Responsibilities of a private foster carer
While the child or children are living with you, you are responsible for their day-to-day care. This includes:
- providing a home environment that is suitable for the child
- making sure that the child is well cared for, such as providing regular meals, a suitable home environment that is warm and clean, providing clothes and any other item that a child may need and ensuring that they have their own bed
- ensuring that the child is attending school and that you are supporting them with their education so that they are encouraged to learn
- taking them to health appointments, both routine appointments for vaccinations but also seeking advice when they are unwell
- making sure they are registered and visiting a dentist regularly
- support the child in seeing their parents and wider family
- making sure they have the chance to make friends and to enjoy sports and hobbies that they like
- helping them follow their religion and any customs that are important to them and their family
What you cannot do as private foster carer
As private foster carers do not have parental responsibility they are not permitted to do the following:
- change your child’s name
- change your child’s school
- move your child to live with another family
- take your child to live to another part of the country without your permission
- take your child overseas to another country, for example on holiday without your permission
If your child needs hospital treatment
If your child needs serious medical treatment, then parents need to be consulted and agree to this. If it is an emergency and parents cannot be contacted quickly enough, then a doctor will decide what to do.
If there is a problem or if anything changes
Private foster carers and parents should tell the child’s social worker if anything changes. Such changes could include:
- either parents or the private foster carers change address
- your child moves back to your care or you move them to live with someone else
- if someone new moves into the private foster carers home
- if there is a disagreement about the care of the child or a problem of any kind
You should let the social worker know of changes as soon as possible. If this is a planned change then you should try to tell the social worker six weeks prior to it happening.
What to do if the private fostering comes to an end
The private foster carers should advise Children’s Services in writing within 48 hours if the arrangement comes to end. They should also inform Children’s Services of the name and address of who is now caring for the child.