Private Fostering
This page contains information on private fostering including:
What is Private Fostering?
Private fostering is an arrangement made for a child aged 16 or under, or under 18 if a child has a disability, to be cared for by someone other than a close relative for more than 28 days.
It is not private fostering if the arrangement was made by social services, or if the person looking after the child is an approved foster carer.
People become private foster carers for all sorts of reasons. private foster carers can be a friend of the child's family, or be someone who is willing to care for the child for a family they do not know.
Common situations may be:
- Children sent to this country for education or health care by birth parents living overseas.
- Children living with friend's family as a result of parental separation, divorce or arguments at home.
- Teenagers living apart from their family.
- Children whose parents study or work involves unsociable hours, which makes it difficult for them to use ordinary daycare or after school care.
- Children on holiday exchanges.
Notifying Children's Services
By law you must inform Sheffield City Council about any private fostering situations in Sheffield.
The child's parent(s), private foster carer and anyone else involved in the arrangement are legally required to inform Sheffield City Council. Please contact Sheffield City Council's Children and Families Access Team on 0114 273 4855.
What to do if the situation changes
If for any reason your situation changes whether it's a change of address, someone moves into or out of the house, if anyone living in the house commits an offence or if you move home, you must contact Sheffield City Council.
If the child leaves or there is a plan to move the child from your care, you should agree with the parents the circumstances in which the arrangements should end and what arrangements will be made for the child.
It is very important that such a change in situations be planned in advance and the child is fully consulted in preparation for this. Please inform Sheffield City Council with such changes as soon as possible.
What will Sheffield City Council Do?
Sheffield City Council, Children and Young Peoples Directorate will work together with the child, the parents and the private foster carers to ensure that the best possible arrangements are in place for the child. This includes:
- Listening to the child's wishes and feelings
- Arranging for a social worker to visit the private foster carers
- Assisting carers to fill in the necessary forms to apply to be a private foster carer
- Helping to ensure that the child's cultural, linguistic and religious needs are being met
- Offering advice and support to the child, their parent(s) and private foster carers.
If Sheffield City Council thinks that the arrangement is unsuitable, the Council will decide what action to take to safeguard the child's welfare. This often means providing the appropriate support to the carers and parents.
Why do Sheffield City Council have to be involved?
The Children's Act 1989, gives local authority children's services a legal duty to safeguard the well being of all children.
This includes making sure children are safe, well looked after, healthy, receive an education, encouraged to reach their full potential, keep in touch with people who are important to them and are supported when they become independent.
However many private fostering arrangements remain hidden, which can leave some children vulnerable. Sheffield City Council has a range of support available for both private foster carers and parents.
What to do next?
If you are:
- A parent planning, or who has already arranged for their child to be cared for by someone other than a close relative for more than 28 days
or
- A carer planning or already looking after someone elses child for more than 28 days
Please contact Sheffield City Council's Children and Families Acccess team on 0114 273 4855 or use the contact and notification form to let us know about a private fostering arrangement.
Downloadable Documents
If you require any of the documents available for download on this page in a different format please contact us on 0114 273 5075. The Private Fostering Leaflets giving information for families are available now in PDF or hardcopy in the following languages:
- Urdu
- Bengali
- Slovakian
- Polish
- Somali
- Farsi
- Dari
- Mandarin
If you would like more information on any aspect of private fostering please do not hesitate to contact us.
Downloads
Information from the Safeguarding Board on general aspects of what private fostering is and regulations around it. (29.5 KB)
Leaflet with general information for families about private fostering (177 KB)
Leaflet with information about what private fostering is and what it means for young people in a private fostering arrangement. (234 KB)
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