Private fostering

Two foster carers sitting with two young children, hugging and smiling.

Private fostering is when a child under 16 (or under 18, if disabled) lives with someone who is not a close relative for more than 28 days, without involving a local authority.

Non-close relatives include cousins, great aunts and uncles and family friends. Close relatives, on the other hand, include parents, step-parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters and uncles and aunts, whether by blood or marriage.

A private foster carer may be a friend of the family, the parent of a friend of the child or someone unknown to the child’s family.

Private fostering may take place, for example, when:

children are sent to the UK from abroad for schooling or healthcare
young children are taken in by a friend’s family, following separation, divorce or arguments at home
a teenager lives with the family of a boyfriend or girlfriend

Private foster carers are legally required to notify their local authority. If you intend to foster privately you must notify us between six and 13 weeks before the child is due to join you. If a child arrives suddenly, you must get in touch with us within 48 hours of their arrival.

A member of our fostering team will visit you and the child within seven days of hearing from you. We will then carry out checks to ensure the child is safe and that you are able to provide a reasonable standard of care. It is also very important to have a formal agreement in place with the child’s parents, including information about their medical, educational, religious and cultural needs.

To tell us about a private fostering arrangement, or to find out more, please complete a form, depending on your role..

To find out more about the experience of fostering, visit Meet our foster carers.