Doncaster Families Information Service

Private Fostering

If your child is being looked after by someone else, or you are looking after
someone else’s child for 28 days or more and you are not the child’s parent or close relative... this is known as private fostering.

Private fostering may have been arranged because:
• of separation, divorce or arguments in the child’s family
• the child is the boyfriend or girlfriend of one of your children
• the child is in the country for health care or education but his or her parents are
overseas
• full time care needs to be provided because unsocial work hours mean the child’s own
parents can’t be there to provide care when needed during the day or night

What is the law?
The private fostering law applies to anyone looking after a child who is not the child’s mother, father, grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt. A child is anyone under the age of 16 or a disabled young person under 18. To help keep children and young people safe, the government has made it the law for anyone
looking after someone else’s child to tell their local council.

If you live in Doncaster and are planning to privately foster or already doing so, you let us know by contacting our Duty and Assessment Team on 01302
737777.

In return the Council has a duty to make sure the child is safe and ensure carers get the support or advice they need whilst looking after the child.

What can I do to support the child?
To give the child the best support, information from parents about the child’s
health, eating preferences, school, hobbies, religion and ethnic or cultural background, is important to ensure the child has an easy transition.

What help is available?
We will arrange to make regular visits to see how the child is getting on. We may
be able to provide carers with practical information and advice about benefits that may be available.

What if the private fostering arrangement ends?
Parents and carers must tell us within two days that the child is no longer living with the carers. You must also give us the name and address of who is now caring for the child

How do I find out more?
If you need to know more please contact us at:

Doncaster Council; Childcare Assessment Service; PO Box 251; Council House;
College Road; Doncaster; DN1 3DA

Or look on our website for more information about private fostering.