How do I notify the local authority about a private fostering arrangement?

A private fostering arrangement should be notified to the children’s services or private fostering team at the local authority responsible for the area where the child will live. The notification should be made by the child’s parent or person with parental responsibility, the proposed private foster carer, or anyone else involved in arranging the placement. If the arrangement has already started, notification should be made without delay.

When contacting the local authority, explain that you are notifying them of a private fostering arrangement and ask for the notification to be recorded. The council may have a specific private fostering form or process, but it should also be possible to begin by contacting the children’s services department and asking to be directed to the relevant team.

As well as the basic details already required about the child, carer, parents and household arrangements, be ready to explain:

• when the arrangement is expected to start and how long it is likely to continue;
• why the child will be living with someone who is not their parent or close relative;
• the child’s school, health needs, routines and contact with their parents;
• who holds parental responsibility and how decisions will be made;
• any previous or current involvement from children’s services or other professionals; and
• any circumstances that could affect the child’s safety, welfare or ability to settle in the household.

Where it is practicable to do so, notification should be given before the arrangement begins. If the placement is arranged at short notice, the child has already moved in, or the person making the notification only becomes aware of the arrangement later, this should not prevent them from contacting the local authority. Explain the circumstances clearly and provide the information available at that point.

It is sensible to keep a record of when the notification was made, who received it and any reference or confirmation supplied by the council. Tell the local authority promptly if important details change, such as the child’s address, the identity of the carer, the expected length of the arrangement or the circumstances in which the child is being cared for. The council should also be informed when the arrangement ends.

After receiving the notification, the local authority will make enquiries to establish whether the arrangement meets the definition of private fostering and whether the child’s needs are being properly met. This may involve speaking with the child, the private foster carer, the parents and other relevant people, as well as visiting the home. The purpose is to assess and safeguard the child, not simply to collect an administrative record. The local authority can identify support needs, provide advice and take further action if there are concerns about the child’s welfare.

Notifying the council does not make the private foster carer an approved foster carer. Private fostering and approved fostering are different legal arrangements, with different assessment and approval processes. A person considering a longer-term fostering role should ask the local authority or a fostering service to explain which route is appropriate.

If you are unsure whether a proposed arrangement qualifies as private fostering, contact the relevant children’s services department before the child moves in. It is safer to ask the council to assess the circumstances than to assume that notification is unnecessary. If there is an immediate concern about abuse, neglect or the child’s safety, report this to children’s services through the council’s safeguarding route and explain the urgency.