Private fostering is more than a safeguarding issue

It is vital to raise awareness of private fostering and the need for carers to notify their local authorities, writes David Holmes.

Last year two brave young girls came forward and offered to share their stories to help with our private fostering awareness raising campaign. They illustrated what can happen when things go wrong – both had been used as domestic slaves and subjected to horrific mental and physical abuse.

As we listened to their stories, the words of William Utting rang true. In People Like Us (1997) he described private fostering as “a honey pot for abusers”. The tragic case of Victoria Climbié also reminds us of what can happen when private fostering arrangements go terribly wrong. However we need to balance the risks associated with private fostering with the fact that for many children and young people private fostering is a positive option, even if it does not solve all of their underlying problems.

An independent survey conducted for BAAF with 9-16 year olds across England and Wales, revealed that one in ten may have been privately fostered. Of those that had been privately fostered, the vast majority (80%) said they felt they had been well cared for. However even those who said they had been well looked after had experienced anxieties commonly associated with being separated from birth families. Nearly half (46%) said they had felt worried, lonely or sad. In addition 14% said they felt confused and 8% said they did not know why they had been sent to live with someone else.

We must not forget the 6% that said they were not well cared for. They underline the need to safeguard children in these arrangements. We must also not forget the other children who are in good placements, but are still experiencing stress. Many of these children go into private foster care because of a crisis at home and take with them a multitude of anxieties.

Without the intervention of children’s services many private foster carers will be alone in trying to support that child or young person. To ensure children are protected and private foster carers are supported notifying the local authority of these arrangements is essential. Involvement of a private fostering social worker can also mean that families are brought back together and helped to overcome their problems.

BAAF continues to campaign to raise awareness of private fostering. We are urging both families and carers to notify local authorities about private fostering arrangements. We also want to emphasise the crucial contribution that professionals working with families and children can make in increasing notifications rate by working in close cooperation with local private fostering teams. This includes mental health workers, probation services, staff at children’s centres and teaching and health professionals. It is important we all keep talking about private fostering. There are still too many children in these arrangements that are under the radar and not receiving the support they need.

David Holmes is chief executive of the British Association for Adoption & Fostering.

Somebody Else’s Child, the national private fostering campaign ran from 22–28 February 2010. For more information visit www.somebodyelseschild.org.uk