A parent can arrange for someone else to care for their child or children. When they do this, it is known as private fostering. The person looking after their children is known as a private foster carer.
Private fostering:
- only applies to children younger than 16 years (or 18 years if they have a disability)
- is a private arrangement between a parent and someone else, the council is not involved
- is when the child lives away from home for 28 days in a row (or more)
- the person taking care of them is not:
- another parent
- a grandparent
- a brother or sister
- an aunt or uncle
- a step-parent
- an approved foster carer
Making a safe arrangement
We can help you to put a plan together to make sure your child’s health, education and care needs are met.
Download our leaflet for more information.
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Guide for carers
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Guide for parents
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Why children are privately fostered
Children may have to live with other families for lots of practical reasons, for example a:
- child could be living with a friend’s family because of separation, divorce or arguments at home
- teenager could be living with the family of a boyfriend or girlfriend, or with the family of a friend from school
- parent has a long-term illness and cannot look after their child
- child is in the UK for education or health reasons
- parent works away from home or works such long hours that childcare is difficult or unsafe
What we need to know
Although the arrangement is agreed privately, the law says the council must be told about it.
We do not want to interfere if the arrangement is working well.
Our job is to:
- support everyone involved
- make regular checks to make sure children are safe and happy
- help you get any support you might need
If you did not know you need to tell us, do not worry – just let us know now.
What to do next
Get in touch with our multi-agency hub:
- if you are planning for someone to look after your children
- if your children are already living with someone else
- if you are looking after someone else’s children but you are not a close relative
If you are not sure or want to talk to us about a private fostering arrangement, just call. We're happy to help.