Warwickshire’s private foster carers urged to come forward
Adults in Warwickshire who have other people’s children living with them risk breaking the law if they don’t notify the council that they are fostering privately.
Private fostering means people who have a child who is not related to them living in their care. By law, parents and private foster carers must tell their local council if someone else’s child is living with them for more than 28 days.
Julia Wilson, Foster Care Development Officer for Warwickshire County Council, said: “We want to reassure private foster carers that if they have been caring for a child for some time we will deal with the matter sensitively. We are here to provide help, support and advice to carers and the children and young people concerned.”
Warwickshire County Council has a duty to check the suitability of private foster carers, make regular visits to the child and monitor the overall standard of care provided.
Private Fostering is very different from the care of children by local councils through approved foster carers. It occurs when a child under 16 (or under 18 if disabled) is cared for by and adult who is not a relative. A relative is a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt – they could be a full or half relation and could be related by marriage. A cohabitee of the mother or father would not qualify as a relative, neither would the extended family such as great aunts/uncles or parents’ cousins.
Help and advice is available by contacting the Fostering Services team on 01926 413313.