Fostering information

A private fostering arrangement is where a child is under the age of 16 (or 18 if disabled) and is living with a friend or an extended family member (rather than a close family member like an aunt, uncle or grandparent) for more than 28 days.

These are legal decisions formalised through a court process about who a child lives with when circumstances have been determined that it is not appropriate for them to live with a parent. An assessment will be completed and presented to the court so a decision can be made. The court might decide for the child to live with a family member or friend.

When a child is formally looked after by the local authority, a connected person foster carer is a family member or friend who the child is living with. We will complete an assessment to ensure you are the right person to care for the child, and part of this assessment will be determining what support you might need to do so.

Depending on the type of Kinship Carer you are, you will be entitled to support from us as your Local Authority. This might include:

• Accessing support in the community at your local family hub
• Financial support
• Access therapeutic services via the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund
• Your own allocated social worker or support worker
• Access to training
• Local peer support groups
• Social groups for your children
• Social events for children and families

If you think you might be a kinship carer, or want to find out more about the support on offer, please contact us on 01724297024

You can also get advice and connect with other Kinship Carers through:

• The national Kinship charity website
• Kinship care family rights group
• Kinship Carers UK

Kinship care can be informal arrangements made by parents without any involvement from the local authority or family courts. This might be a step-parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt or uncle.