Private Fostering

Is your child living with someone else?

Have you arranged for someone else to look after your child, or are you looking after someone else's child, full-time for 28 days or more? If so, you could be one of many people in the UK making a ‘private fostering’ arrangement, and Islington Council needs to hear from you.

Private fostering is different from foster care organised by the council, as it is an arrangement made directly between parents and the carer.

It is estimated that more than 15,000 children in England and Wales are privately fostered – but many people are unaware that they are involved in a private fostering arrangement, or that the law says they must notify the council.

Private fostering arrangements are made for a variety of reasons, such as:

• teenagers living with friends because they are not getting on well with their parents

• families looking after children sent to the UK

• children being cared for while their parent/s are hospitalised or imprisoned

The council has a legal requirement to make sure that all children in the borough not living with their parents, for whatever reason, are safe and that they are receiving the services and protection they need and are entitled to. Carers providing private foster care may also be missing out on advice and support.

We don’t want to interfere in what is working well. Our aim is to provide support and advice to ensure that the private arrangement goes as smoothly as possible.

Further information

Two leaflets are available for you to download under below:

• Information for birth parents and others with parental responsibility

• A guide to the law for private foster carers

Notify us

If you think you are already, or are about to be, making a private fostering arrangement, we want to hear from you:

Call the Assessment Service on 020 7527 7400. You can also download notification forms below.