Private Fostering
22-28 February 2010
Are you caring for someone else’s child?
As part of national Private Fostering week, Hackney Council is launching a campaign to raise awareness of private fostering, encouraging people to let them know if they are private foster carers.
It is estimated that there are more than 10,000 children in Great Britain who are being privately fostered. Despite the fact that there is a legal requirement for the Local Authority to be notified many private fostering arrangements go unreported.
Private fostering is when a child under the age of 16 (under 18 if disabled) is cared for and living with someone who is not their parent, guardian or close relative for more than 28 days. Close relatives are defined as step parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, uncles or aunts. They could be full or half relation and could be related by marriage. This is a private arrangement made between the parent and carer.
For one week in February the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) will be highlighting the potential vulnerability of children living in private fostering arrangements and the need to notify the local authority of such arrangements. If you or someone you know is in a private fostering arrangement please notify Hackney Children Service’s on 020 8356 5500. For more information visit our Private fostering web page.
Page updated: 15 Jun 2010
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