Portsmouth City Council has joined partner agencies to raise awareness of a hidden group of children this Private Fostering Awareness Week (2-8 November).

If a child or young person is staying with someone who isn’t a close relative (like a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or step-parent by marriage) for more than 28 days, this would be classed as a private fostering arrangement.

Such arrangements are typically made privately between parents and carers, but by law, the local authority must be informed, and we will then be able to offer a range of support including advice on possible benefits, parenting advice and training opportunities, as well as working with families facing crisis to help bring them back together.

Private fostering can arise for many reasons, such as a young person staying with a friend due to family difficulties, participating in a long-term school exchange, or attending a language school with a host family. While these arrangements can be positive, they may also leave children vulnerable if not properly monitored.

Many people may not realise they are private foster carers, especially if the arrangement feels informal or temporary. Notifying Portsmouth City Council will enable us to ensure the child is safe, supported, and receiving the care they need.

Councillor Nick Dorrington, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education at Portsmouth City Council, said: “The child or young person could be sofa surfing, their parent could be away studying, there’s been a family emergency, or they may have fallen out with their parents.”

“We need anyone who is aware of an arrangement that may fall into this category – particularly those professionals that work with children and young people – to let us know so we can check on the child’s welfare and make sure they are safe. We can also offer both the parent and the private foster carer support and advice.”

CoramBAAF, the UK’s leading membership organisation for professionals across adoption, fostering and kinship care, hosted its annual free private fostering breakfast briefing on Wednesday 5 November to offer key information about private fostering to those working in the health, education and care sectors. The briefing covered what private fostering is, the children in these arrangements, and the role of health and childcare professionals, partner agencies, local authorities, parents and private foster carers in meeting their needs.

Anyone who would like to refer or would like to speak to us about a private fostering arrangement, can:

• call 023 9268 8793
• email privatefostering@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
• visit www.portsmouth.gov.uk/private-fostering

More information is also available on CoramBAAF’s website: www.corambaaf.org.uk/practice-areas/kinship-care/private-fostering.