Are you looking after someone else's children?

Devon County Council is reminding people to let the authority know if they have made arrangements to look after someone else’s child, or children, for more than 28 days.

This is more commonly known as Private Fostering and is when a child or young person under 16 years old (or 18 if they have a disability) is looked after for 28 days or more by someone who is not a close relative (i.e parents, step-parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents), or guardian or person with parental responsibility).

This can include for example: children on holiday exchanges which last more than 27 days, teenagers staying with a boyfriend/girlfriend's family, or children living apart from their family due to family breakdown, parent's ill health or parents are living overseas.

It also includes children from overseas living with host families while they study English, either through private arrangement, language schools or guardianship agencies.

It is not private fostering if the arrangement was made by the Council, or if the person looking after the child is an approved foster carer.

6th - 10th July is Private Fostering Week and Devon County Council is reminding people that by law, it must be told about all private fostering situations. This is the responsibility of child's parents, private foster carer and anyone else involved in the arrangement.

James McInnes, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Skills said; “People become private foster carers for all sorts of reasons. Private foster carers can be a friend of the child's family, or be someone who is willing to care for the child of a family they do not know.”

“The authority offers a supportive role in these cases to help those looking after the children. We want to make sure the best possible arrangements have been made for the child and that they are safe, being well looked after and continuing with their education. There may be cases where child benefit payments need to be re-directed to the host family.”

"We can make arrangements to visit the child and private foster carers regularly and make sure that the child's racial, cultural, linguistic and religious needs are being met and also offer support and advice to the child, their parents and private foster carers."

Those who think they might be involved in a private fostering arrangement phone 0345 155 1071 or email mashsecure@devon.gcsx.gov.uk or for more information phone on the same number or email privatefostering@devon.gov.uk

For more information, go to www.devon.gov.uk/cyps-privatefostering