With the school term now in full swing, Flintshire County Council is reminding residents to let the authority know if you’re looking after someone else’s child.
If children are living away from home, then the parent/carer has a legal requirement to inform the Council.
It’s called ‘private fostering’ because it’s a private arrangement between the child’s parent and carer, but the Council’s Social Services for Children department still needs to be told.
The practice is very different from the care of children provided by councils through approved foster carers. If a child is under 16 (if disabled, under 18) and is looked after for more than 28 days by an adult who is not a relative, then it counts as private fostering.
However, despite the legal requirement, the Council is not always informed, and is calling on the local community to help keep children safe.
“If carers and parents don’t inform Social Services, children may be deprived of the services and protection that they are entitled to.
