Information for birth parents
If your child is under 16 (or under 18 if they are disabled) and living with someone else who is not a close relative for 28 days or more, this is a private fostering arrangement.
The law states that the council must be notified 6 weeks in advance of a private fostering arrangement being made. If your child is already privately fostered, the council should be notified immediately.
Notify the council of private fostering
Examples of private fostering arrangements
Your child is:
- in the UK for education or health care and you live in another country
- living with a family friend, as a result of separation, divorce or arguments at home
- living with their partner's family
- attending language schools
- attending an independent boarding school and does not return home during the holidays
- or you are from another country and work or study long, anti-social hours.