What is voluntary foster care?

Voluntary foster care usually refers to a child being accommodated by a local authority with the agreement of a person who has parental responsibility, commonly under section 20 of the Children Act 1989 in England. The child is looked after and placed with approved foster carers, but the arrangement is not based on a care order. The local authority is responsible for arranging and overseeing the child’s care, while parents or others with parental responsibility generally retain their legal responsibilities.

This arrangement may be used when a child cannot safely remain at home for a period, or when a family needs support while longer-term plans are considered. The reasons can include family crisis, illness, housing difficulties, concerns about a child’s welfare or the need for assessment. The local authority should explain why accommodation is being proposed, what it means and what plans are being made for the child.

Voluntary accommodation is not the same as a private arrangement. The child becomes looked after by the local authority, which must arrange suitable accommodation, prepare care plans and review the placement. Foster carers provide the child’s daily care under the local authority’s supervision and must follow the child’s care plan, delegated authority arrangements and safeguarding procedures.

Parents usually retain parental responsibility. This means that important decisions may still require their involvement, depending on the circumstances and the authority delegated to the foster carer. A parent who has agreed to accommodation can usually ask for the child to return to their care. However, the local authority must consider the child’s safety and welfare. If it believes that returning home would place the child at risk, it may need to seek legal advice or apply to the court rather than simply ending the placement.

Consent must be properly considered. A local authority should make sure that the person giving consent understands the proposed arrangement, the reasons for it, where the child may live and how contact will work. The child’s views should also be taken into account in a way that reflects their age and understanding. If consent is unclear, disputed or withdrawn, the local authority must review the legal basis for the placement and decide what action is needed.

Voluntary foster care can be appropriate when:

• parents agree that the child needs to live away from home temporarily;
• the local authority needs time to assess the child’s needs or the family’s circumstances;
• a child needs immediate stability while a safe plan is developed; or
• the family and professionals are working towards reunification, another family arrangement or a different long-term plan.

The arrangement should have a clear purpose rather than becoming open-ended by default. The child’s care plan should set out the placement’s objectives, contact arrangements, health and education needs, and the proposed next steps. Looked-after children must have their circumstances reviewed, and plans should be updated when their needs or family situation changes.

Contact with parents and relatives is normally considered as part of the care plan. Foster carers may support telephone calls, visits or other agreed contact, but they should not make informal changes to arrangements without speaking to the supervising social worker or the child’s social worker. Contact can be changed if it is not safe, is distressing the child or no longer supports the care plan. Any concerns should be recorded and passed to the appropriate professionals.

For foster carers, caring for a child in a voluntary arrangement involves the same professional responsibilities that apply to other foster placements. Carers are expected to provide consistent day-to-day care, protect the child from harm, support education and health needs, maintain appropriate records and share information with the fostering service. They should understand what decisions have been delegated to them and which decisions remain with the local authority or those who hold parental responsibility.

Who can foster a child in a voluntary arrangement? The legal basis of the child’s placement does not remove the usual requirements for foster carer approval. Applicants are assessed against fostering regulations and standards, including their ability to provide a safe, stable and nurturing home. Assessment commonly includes identity and household checks, references, health information, criminal-record checks, interviews and consideration of the home environment. The fostering service will also explore applicants’ experience, relationships, support network, attitudes to safeguarding and ability to work with families and professionals.

Applicants complete preparation training before approval. Their assessment is then considered through the fostering service’s approval process, which normally includes a fostering panel recommendation and a decision by the agency decision-maker. Approval specifies the type and number of children a carer may foster, taking account of the carer’s circumstances, skills, household and available space.

Approved foster carers receive ongoing supervision, training and support. They work with social workers and other professionals to understand the child’s history, needs and behaviour, and to review how the placement is progressing. Foster carers may also receive a fostering allowance or other payments in line with the fostering service’s current policy and the child’s assessed needs. The amount and arrangements should be explained directly during the application process because they can vary and may be updated.

How it differs from fostering under a care order

• Under voluntary accommodation, the placement is based on parental agreement rather than a court care order.
• Parents generally retain parental responsibility, although the local authority remains responsible for the child’s care while the child is looked after.
• A care order gives the local authority parental responsibility and allows it to share it with the child’s parents. The court order provides the legal framework for the child’s care.
• In either situation, approved foster carers provide the daily care and must follow the child’s agreed plan and safeguarding arrangements.

The distinction matters, but the child’s welfare remains the central consideration in both types of placement. Foster carers should not assume that a voluntary placement is informal or less demanding. The child may have experienced significant disruption, and the carer may need to manage uncertainty, family contact and changes to the plan while maintaining continuity for the child.

If you are considering fostering, you do not need to decide whether a future child will be accommodated voluntarily. That legal decision is made by the local authority in the child’s circumstances. Your role is to understand the responsibilities of approval, work constructively with the child’s family and professionals, and provide safe care within the authority given to you. A fostering service can explain how its assessment, training, supervision, safeguarding procedures and financial support apply to placements of this kind.