Social Services Involvement
Why do Children and Young People's Services have to be involved?
The Children Act 1989 and Section 44 of the Children Act 2004 say that Children and Young People's Services Department has a legal duty to make sure that the welfare of all privately fostered children is safeguarded and promoted.
We also provide advice and support to parents, private foster carers and the child who is fostered.
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What happens next?
Children and Young People's Services has a legal duty to check that the placement, the private foster carers and their premises are all suitable. Once you have told us about the proposed private fostering arrangement, a social worker will arrange to visit both you and the foster carers, to discuss the plan.
The social worker will ask the private foster carer to sign forms, which allow them to take out statutory reference checks with the police, probation, child protection register, Department of Health, local authority, GP and health authority. This is to make sure that your child will be looked after by suitable people who will not harm him or her. Everyone living in the house who is over 16 years old will be checked in this way.
If the private foster carer and their family do not agree to this process we will not be able to check whether they are suitable to be a foster carer. We will have to consider them unsuitable.
The foster carers will also be asked to give the names and addresses of 2 people who have known them personally for over 2 years and who can give a reference about their suitability as carers of children.
The social worker will write a report about the private foster carers, the suitability of their home, the reasons for the placement, how long it is expected to last, your involvement in the arrangements and the child’s views about the placement.
We will then make a decision about the private foster carer’s suitability.
You will get a letter telling you what the decision is. As part of the arrangement we might need to impose requirements. For example, this could be about the number of children a private foster carer may have living with them.
The private foster carer can appeal against these decisions if they disagree.
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If the placement is agreed
After the placement has been agreed a social worker will regularly visit the child and the carers, and keep in touch with the parents, for as long as the placement lasts.
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If the placement is not agreed
If the carers are not considered to be suitable to privately foster a child, they will be told in writing by Children and Young People's Services. If the carers wish to appeal against this decision, they should do so within 14 days of being notified of the decision. First, the carer should contact us to try to resolve the disagreement. If they cannot reach agreement with the Department, they may appeal to the Family Proceedings Court within 14 days of the notification.
If at any time we have concerns about your child’s welfare or safety in the private foster home, we will contact you so that you can make other arrangements for your child’s care if necessary.
It is an offence to accept the placement of a child when the purpose is for adoption. In general, only an adoption agency can arrange such a placement.
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What if the placement ends?
- If the child leaves the care of the private foster carers, they must inform Children and Young People's Service within 48 hours, giving the name and address of the person who has taken over the care of the child;
- If the child dies whilst living with the private foster carer, they should notify Children and Young People's Services in writing within 48 hours.
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