Private Fostering Arrangements

Private Fostering

‘A private fostering arrangement is essentially one that is made privately (without the involvement of the Authority) for the care of a child or young person under the age of 16 (under 18 if disabled) by someone other than a parent or close relative with the intention that it should last for 28 days or more.  The period for which the child is cared for or accommodated by the private foster carer should be continuous, but that continuity is not broken by the occasional short breaks.  It also covers children who stay at a residential school for more than two weeks of the school holidays.

Common situations in which children are privately fostered include:

• Children with parents or families overseas
• Children with parents working or studying in the UK
• Asylum seekers and refugees
• Trafficked children
• Local children living apart from their families
• Adolescents and teenagers
• Children attending language schools
• Children at independent boarding schools who do not return home for holidays
• Children brought in from abroad with a view to adoption

In these situations, Somerset County Council must be notified to enable a social worker to visit the home where the child is living to speak to the carer and the child to ensure the child is safe, carry out background checks and make sure support is being provided.

Support available for private foster carers may include:

• advice on benefits and possible funding for some essential items
• parenting support and advice
• help in bringing families in crisis back together

Private Fostering Enquiries e-mail – privatefostering@somerset.gov.uk