Private Fostering
What is Private Fostering?
A private foster carer is someone other than a parent or a close relative who cares for a child for a period of 28 days or more, in agreement with the child’s parent. It applies only to children under 16 years, or under 18 if they are disabled.
Private foster carers can be part of the child’s wider family, a friend of the family, the parents of the child’s boyfriend or girlfriend or someone unknown but willing to foster the child. Close relatives – a grandparent, a brother or sister, an aunt or an uncle, a step parent – are not private foster carers.
Some of the common situations where children are privately fostered are:
- Where parents are unable to care for their children, for example if they have chronic ill health or are in prison
- Where children from abroad are sent to stay with relatives, often to improve their education
- Teenagers who have broken ties with their parents and are staying in the short-term with friends
- Those living with host families whilst taking courses of study
North Yorkshire Council is not involved in making private fostering arrangements but is responsible for checking that the arrangements are suitable for the child. As a professional it is important for you to notify North Yorkshire Council on 0300 131 2 131 if you are in contact with a child or young person who is being privately fostered. This will help protect the child against abuse or neglect and provide some reassurance that the child is being looked after properly.
Private Fostering Explained:
North Yorkshire Council’s Children & Families Service is legally responsible for the safety and welfare of all privately fostered young people in the county. As part of this responsibility, a Social Worker will make contact with the child, parent and carer to arrange a visit and ensure the right support is in place along with on-going monitoring of the arrangement.
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