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News

Public Awareness About Private Fostering

As more children are likely to move to the local area over the summer holidays and in advance of the new school year the Borough of Poole and Bournemouth Borough Council are reminding people about the legal requirements for children who are privately fostered.

Private foster care occurs when a child under 16, or under 18 if disabled, lives with an adult who is not a relative for 28 days or more.  The reasons for private fostering include children being sent to this country for education or health care reasons, as a result of parental separation, parental illness or family breakdown or teenagers living with the family of a boyfriend or girlfriend.  Some parents also make private fostering arrangements if their study or work involves unsociable hours which make ordinary day care arrangements difficult. 

The two Councils are encouraging people in the local community to be aware that, under the Private Arrangements for Fostering Regulations 2005, it is a legal requirement for private fostering arrangements to be notified to the Children and Families Services Unit at the relevant local authority.

The authority can then assess the arrangements to ensure they are in the best interests of the child and carry out regular visits to monitor the standard of care. Support and advice can also be provided to the child, the child’s parents and the private foster carer.

Delia Amos, Children Services Manager at Borough of Poole said: “Making private fostering arrangements known to the relevant local authority is a legal requirement which many people aren’t aware of.  It is not designed to be obstructive and create unnecessary disruption but instead ensures that the child and everyone involved has access to the relevant support and advice. We encourage anyone to make contact with their council if they think they, or someone they know, may be involved in a private fostering arrangement.”

For those people in Poole and Bournemouth who know a child who is living with someone who isn’t a relative for 28 days or more should contact the following:

Poole Children and Families                    Bournemouth Child Care and Family Support
14a Commercial Road                            North Bournemouth Office,
Poole                                                    27 Slades Farm Road, Ensbury Park
BH14 0JW                                             Bournemouth
01202 735046                                        BH10 4ES
                                                            01202 456706

Delia Amos, Childrens Services Manager at Borough of Poole on 01202 714625