Somebody else’s child – everybody’s responsibility

17 February 2012

Private Fostering Week - 20 to 26 February

Are you caring for somebody else’s child, who is not directly related to you? Have you looked after that child for 28 days or more? If so, this is known as private fostering and, by law, Kent County Council needs to be told about the arrangement.

The county council recognises the invaluable job private foster carers do in keeping families together. By informing KCC about your private fostering arrangement, you could receive advice and support.

To mark Private Fostering Week (20 to 26 February), the British Association for Adoption & Fostering, through its Somebody Else’s Child campaign, aims to reduce the number of un-notified private fostering arrangements. KCC is calling on people to register that information so that they get support and do not fall foul of the law.

Caroline has privately fostered and says people need to be aware of what it is. She said: “Private fostering is something that not many people know about so there needs to be greater awareness. At the end of the day you are taking on somebody’s child and that’s quite a responsibility. I knew the council had to be told and people have nothing to worry about by doing so.

“You get the support of a social worker and it’s handy to have someone to bounce ideas off. There’s more to it than that. They also do the regular welfare checks to make sure everything’s going ok.”

No-one knows exactly how many children are privately fostered, but the Department of Health has estimated that there could be as many as 10,000 in England and Wales. Many of these arrangements work perfectly well, but there is concern that some children could be at risk of abuse or be victims of trafficking.

In the 12 months to March 2011 there were 2,332 notifications of private fostering arrangements in England.

KCC Cabinet Member for Specialist Children’s Services, Jenny Whittle, said: "If you went up to 10 people in the street and asked them what private fostering was, you would probably get 10 different answers. That’s why we are backing the British Association for Adoption & Fostering’s Somebody Else’s Child campaign to raise awareness of this important issue.

“There are many reasons why people privately foster and I appreciate the invaluable role they play. I would encourage anyone privately fostering to notify us or, if you know someone who is, to pass on that information. It is a legal requirement to do so but for me it is equally important that we know about it, so we can provide any advice or support. It’s about making sure children are happy and safe wherever they live.”

To register a private fostering arrangement, telephone 08458 247 100.