Useful information
Care and Support for Children and Families
Children, Schools and Families
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Fostering

Recruitment of Foster Carers new

Some schools have recently been targeted by independent fostering agencies to help them in their drive to recruit more foster carers.

Although CSF sometimes uses the service of these agencies, our aim is to approve sufficient Hertfordshire County Council foster carers so that we have an in-house pool of carers.  The benefit of using an in-house system is that it enables CSF as corporate parents to provide a stable family home for a child within their community, which helps to preserve as much continuity as possible in the child’s life. In addition, our foster carers have access to a comprehensive training and support system to help them have a long and successful career as a foster carer.

By reducing our reliance on external providers of placements for children, which are poor value for money, we will also make significant savings which are re-invested into support services for families and placements.

In order to help us achieve this we need to recruit at least 60 more foster carers this year. This is a challenge and support from all areas of CSF is always appreciated.

The fostering service would like to take this opportunity to ask you to work with us to help us recruit in-house foster carers. We are always keen to have information stands at parents’ evenings or school fetes, or supply posters and leaflets to display at your school.

If you would like to help or would like more information please contact Alice Moore on 01992 556 957 or email alice.moore@hertscc.gov.uk.

Private Fostering

Do you know of a child who is living with someone who is not their parent or close relative?

If the answer is yes, then you could know of a child who is being privately fostered and you should read on.

What is private fostering?
Not to be confused with the care of children by local authorities through approved foster carers, private fostering is a private arrangement between parent and carer, where the child is being cared for and provided accommodation for more than 28 days by someone other than a relative*.
This could include:

• children sent to this country for education or health care by birth parents living overseas,
• children living with a friend’s family as a result of separation or arguments at home,
• teenagers living with the family of a boyfriend or girlfriend, or
• children whose parents’ work or study involves unsociable hours which makes it difficult for them to use ordinary day care or after school care.

The concern with private fostering is that the children might not be getting the support, protection and physical or emotional development that they need.

*The Children Act Defines 'relative' in relation to a child as a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt. The term also includes a step parent.

What the law says
The Children Act 1989 states that private foster carers and parents must advise their local council of an arrangement, ideally before the arrangement begins.  However, many parents and carers are not aware of this and therefore do not notify the council, even though this is against the law.

The local council has a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of privately fostered children. We have a duty to find out whether the carer is suitable to care for the child and we will visit the child and give help and advice to the carer when it is needed.

What should you do?
Private foster carers are legally required to notify us but many still don't know that they have to. This means we are unable to make sure the child's welfare is safeguarded. Ideally, the carer or parent should notify the council before the private fostering arrangement begins.  But professionals in education also need to help us by ensuring they are proactive in identifying and notifying us of private fostering arrangements that they are aware of.

If you would like more information about private fostering or would like to notify us about a private fostering arrangement, please contact the county council's customer service centre on 01438 737 500 (or 01923 471 500 if you are calling from 01923 or 0208 dialing codes).

Private Fostering

• Adobe pdf, 108kb/6 pages, 26/09/2007, private_fostering.pdf
     

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