Private Fostering

If a child is cared for by someone who is not their parent, step-parent, sister, brother, aunt, uncle or grandparent for more than 28 days, they are being privately fostered.  Many of these children thrive and are being cared for by someone else for a good reason. 

When children experience private fostering, the local authority needs to undertake certain checks to make sure the arrangement is suitable for them.  Private foster carers are legally required to notify the local authority if they are caring for someone else’s child for more than 28 days.