|
Decrease fontIncrease font Light on dark
Home - North Yorkshire County Council
Website URL : http://www.northyorks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3209


Share this page

What are these services?

Email
Print
Twitter Facebook MySpace
Delicious Stumble Digg
More...

Private fostering

If you are looking after someone else's child, under the age of 16, full time for more than 28 days and you are not the parent or close relative (grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother or sister) then you may be a private foster carer.

The law says you must tell the Council if you care for a child under a private fostering arrangement.

Examples of private fostering include:

  • children and young people living apart from their families
  • minority ethnic children with parents working or studying in the UK
  • children with parents overseas
  • children living with host families or 'education guardians' for a variety of reasons
  • children on holiday exchange

Many people don't know what private fostering is and don't know that the law requires that the Council is told about private fostering arrangements.

This page contains a lot of information to help people better understand what private fostering is and to encourage more people - both professionals and the wider community - to notify the Council about private fostering arrangements. This means that action can be taken to check that the arrangement is suitable for the child.

Private fostering - frequently asked questions
What is private fostering?
Who is a "close relative"?
When do you have to tell us?
What if I'm already privately fostering someone else's child but didn't know I had to tell the Children and Young People's Service?
What must I do if I am planning to have my child privately fostered?
What will the Children and Young People's Service do?
What happens during the assessment?
What else will the social worker do after the assessment?
Do I have to allow the social worker to visit?
Can the Council stop someone from privately fostering a child or are there any limits in the number of children they can care for?
Can I appeal against any of these decisions?
Why do people make private fostering arrangements?
What should professionals do?
Does there have to be a written agreement?
What does the Council do to make sure that people know about private fostering?
What support is available to private foster carers or the parents of privately fostered children, including financial support?
What do children and young people think about private fostering?
Private fostering leaflets

Private Fostering for Children [88kb] [pdf]
This leaflet is for children and young people and is about private fostering and explains what it is.
Private Fostering for Parents [143kb] [pdf]
This leaflet is for carers and parents and provides information and advice about private fostering
Useful downloads
Private fostering statement [80kb] [pdf]
A written statement is a requirement of the National Minimum Standards (NMS) for Private Fostering, issued in 2005.
Government response to the report of the DCSF Advisory Group on Private Fostering 20.08.10 [1Mb] [pdf]
Government response to the report of the DCSF Advisory Group on Private Fostering 20.08.10
No simple answers [761kb] [pdf]
No simple answers Report of the DCSF Advisory Group on Private Fostering 20082010
Research into private fostering [1012kb] [pdf]
report by DCSF into private fostering
Private fostering - summary information [76kb] [pdf]
Document setting out useful information about private fostering arrangements including legal responsibilities
Download Adobe Reader  
Weblinks
Contacts
Customer services centre (social care enquiries)
Full contact details for the customer services centre, including how to call in personally, can be found below.
social.care@northyorks.gov.uk
Tel: 0845 034 9410
Fax: 01609 532009
Full details for Customer services centre (social care enquiries)



Adoption
Adoption
Find out more about adoption
Children's centres
Children's centres
Find out more about your local children's centre here
Fostering
Fostering
Find out more about fostering
Preventative foster care
Preventative foster care
Find out more about preventative foster care
North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL7 8AD | Tel: 0845 8 72 73 74 | Fax: 01609 532009
This page was last updated on 4 May 2012