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Private fostering

Thursday, 2 July 2026

A photo of an adult and a teen speaking

Private fostering can pose a safeguarding issue, so it is important to be able to correctly identify a private fostering arrangement, and the important next steps.

A defnition of private fostering:

"A private fostering arrangement is essentially one that is made privately (that is to say without the involvement of a local authority) for the care of a child under tha ge of 16 (under 18 if disabled) by someone other than a parent or close relative with the intention that it should last for 28 days or more  [...] the period for which the child is cared for and accommodated by the private foster carer should be continuous, but that continuity is not broken by the occasional short break."

Why is private fostering a safeguarding issue?

  • The accommodation is not automatically monitored
  • The carers do not have welfare checks
  • The child/young person may be vulnerable to risk including neglect/exploitation/abuse
  • Local authorities have a duty to obtain the child’s voice, wishes and feelings – children may not understand their rights to safety, care and support, or feel able to voice their own concerns if living in private care
  • Children may perceive their situation as normal.

What to look out for

  • Be curious if a child lives with someone other than parents
  • Be alert if living arrangements are unclear
  • Be aware of living arrangements if the parents are overseas
  • Check - does the child have a frequent unstable home base?
  • Ask who is caring for the child, especially if different people bring the child to appointments etc.

What defines a Private Fostering arrangement? Criteria:

  • Child is under 16, or 18 if registered disabled
  • The living arrangement lasts more than 28 days
  • Carer is not a close relative, for example a grandparent, sibling, stepparent, aunt or uncle. If unsure of what the relationship is, don’t investigate but refer to private fostering team.

What to do if you are unsure

  • Don’t investigate yourself
  • Share concerns safely and early via the private fostering team
  • Ask the question rather than miss a risk.

A private fostering case can be brought to the service through a variety of routes, including the safeguarding and partnership hub (SaPH), schools or education settings, health professionals, self-referral from parents or carers.

Following notification, the fostering social worker must determine whether the arrangemen meets the definition of private fostering.

If safeguarding concerns are idenitified at this stage, the child is referred to SaPH, who will take the lead on risk mangement.

If there are no immediate safeguarding concerns, the case processeds under private fostering processes.

What the team does

  • A social worker will visit child and carer and speak to the child alone
  • Assess suitability of arrangement
  • Check child’s welfare/education
  • Continue to put checks and reviews in place regularly
  • DSB checks, references, access to medical records to ensure suitability of carer and all household members.

If you need more information or support, or if you'd like to raise any concerns, you can do any of the following:

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