What is Private Fostering?
Private fostering is an arrangement made for a child aged 16 or under, or under 18 if a child has a disability, to be cared for by someone other than a close relative for more than 28 days.
It is not private fostering if the arrangement was made by social services, or if the person looking after the child is an approved foster carer.
People become private foster carers for all sorts of reasons. Private foster carers can be a friend of the child's family, or be someone who is willing to care for the child for a family they do not know.
The reasons for Private Fostering may be:
- Children or young people have been sent to this country for health or educational reasons by their birth parents that live overseas
- Children or young people living with a family friends or with their friends family due to their parents separating, divorce, arguments/unsettlement at home
- Teenagers finding it hard to live at home with their parents
- Children and young people that are on a holiday exchange longer than 28 days
- A parent who is working in another area or abroad
- A parent who is having problems coping with a new baby might ask a friend to look after it or another one of their children
- A parent who is ill
Notifying Service to Children's and Young People - By law you must inform Bradford District Council about any private fostering situations in Bradford.
It is a criminal offence to fail to notify the local authority if you are privately fostering a child. However we understand that many people who are privately fostering do not know that they have to notify us. We want to ensure that the child is being cared for properly and that the carers and parents are receiving all the help and support they need.
What will happen?
A social worker will visit you and carry out an assessment. This will involve carrying out Criminal record Bureau checks on all the adults over sixteen in the household. This is to make sure that there is no one in the household who might be a danger to a child or young person. The social worker will ensure that proper arrangement s are made about the child’s health, education and general wellbeing. The social worker will want to see the child alone and to look at where they will be sleeping. Once the assessment is complete the social worker will let the carer and parent know if they are satisfied or not with the private fostering arrangement.
Is there any support available?
The social worker will visit at least every six weeks in the first year of, the placement and then three monthly in following years. They will talk over any problems and try to resolve them. The social worker will offer help and advice and will be able to make referrals to other agencies if that is necessary. Remember Bradford Children’s Services are here to help you. We want to ensure that children in private fostering situations are happy and healthy.
Contact details?
If you think that you are, or are about to be in a private fostering, or you have concerns about a child please contact one of our children’s advisors on 01274437500. They will be able to advise you and will make a referral to a one of our children’s assessment teams.
