What is private fostering?
Private fostering is when you are under the age of 16 (or 18 if you have a disability) and you live with an adult (private foster carer) who is not your parent or a close relative such as a grandparent, aunt or uncle. Your mum or dad will have agreed that this person can look after you if they are unable to take care of you themselves.
If you are living with a private foster carer, your parents and the private foster carer needs to tell the City of London Corporation's Children's Services that you are living with someone who is not your parent or close relative.
Email the team or telephone: 020 7323 3621
Why are children privately fostered?
There are lots of reasons why children or young people are privately fostered. This could be because:
- your mum and dad are ill or they have to go away for a long time and they cannot look after you. They may ask a neighbour/family friend/cousin/grand aunt or uncle to take care of you until they get better or return home
- your parents could have recently moved to this country to study or work and they might not be able to find somewhere for all the family to live, and they might ask somebody to look after you for a while
- you might have left your own country to go to school or for some medical care in this country. While you stay in this country, you may need to stay with people who are not your family
- your mum or dad may have a new partner you do not get on with, and you might stay with a neighbour or family friend who can look after you for a while until you can go and live back at home.
The local authority's responsibility to you
If you're privately fostered, the City of London Corporation needs to be made aware, as it has a legal duty to ensure that every child living in the City is well cared for and protected from harm. We need to know which children are being privately fostered so that we can check on their safety and wellbeing.
Once we know that you are privately fostered, we will send a social worker to see you in the private carer’s home to make sure that you are safe, well, and happy living with your foster carers.
The social worker will:
- talk to private foster carers and offer any help or support they may need
- get in touch with your parents to make sure they know you are being well looked after
- visit you at least every six weeks during your first year in private foster care.
Afterwards they will visit every three months but you can ask to see the social worker at any time if you have something you want to talk about.
If you or your social worker are not happy with the arrangement, and there are concerns that you are not safe or being properly looked after, we have the power to end the arrangement.
Remember: Your parents or close relatives are still legally responsible for you while you are living with private foster carers. This means that they should still be involved in all the important decisions about your life.
What will living with private foster carers be like?
Private foster carers should look after you as if you were their own child. They must do all the everyday things for you that parents do for their own children such as:
- making sure you are well cared for, including regular meals, warm clean clothes and your own bed
- making sure you go to school
- taking you to the doctor or the hospital if you are sick or injured
- taking you to the dentist so your teeth are looked after properly
- making sure you have the chance to make friends and to enjoy sports and hobbies that you like
- helping you follow your religion and the customs important to you and your family.
Your parents will be able to help your private foster carers understand the things that are important to you by talking with them.
Are there things private foster carers can't do?
Your private foster carer cannot:
- change your name
- change your school
- move you to another family
- take you to another part of this country
- take you overseas to another country.
If you need serious medical treatment, your own parents have to agree to this, unless it is an emergency and your parents cannot be contacted quickly enough.
What if I'm not happy or if I have a problem?
Sometimes you might feel sad or unhappy about being privately fostered.
Children and young people who live away from home often miss their parents and friends. However, if you have a problem, or are not happy where you are living, talk to your social worker about your concerns. They will be able to answer most of your questions straight away or can find out the answers for you.
Don't worry if you find it hard to talk to your social worker about the things that are worrying you. The most important thing is that you have someone you trust that you to can talk to. You may find it easier to talk to someone you see every day, like a teacher.
There are also a number of national organisations that can give you support and advice. You can find these on the City of London Corporation's FYi Directory.