Coronavirus – Advice and Support
Are you looking after someone else’s child due to the Corona virus?
Private Fostering
Gloucestershire County Council’s fostering service is reminding teachers to notify them of private fostering arrangements. This is particularly relevant at the moment, as it may apply to foreign students who have not been able to travel home.
Private fostering is when a child under 16 (or under 18 with disabilities) is cared for by someone other than a close family member (i.e. parent, step-parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt or uncle) for more than 28 days.
It is not private fostering if the person who is caring for the child is an approved foster carer.
Parents or carers of the child who is being cared for by someone else have a duty to notify their local authority of where their child is staying, however, this does not always happen. This is why teachers need to know what private fostering means and about the duty to notify the council.
There are many reasons for children and young people to be privately fostered. For example, they may be estranged from their parents, their parents may be ill or in prison or they may be from overseas and attending a school whilst staying with a host family.
Private fostering can be a really positive experience for children and young people, but some arrangements are not as safe as they should be. That’s why it is essential that the council knows about them.
If you are aware of a private fostering arrangement in your school, please contact the team on 01452 425320 or email private.fostering@gloucestershire.gov.uk.
More information about private fostering can be found by visiting https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/fostering/types-of-fostering/private-fostering/.