Transcript Slide 1

Private Fostering
Briefing for School Business Managers
www.southwark.gov.uk
What do you think
‘private fostering’
could mean?
www.southwark.gov.uk
Private fostering is
where…...
A child, under the age of 16 (under 18
if disabled) who is cared for, or
proposed to be cared for, and
provided with accommodation by
someone other than;
A parent, a person who is not a
parent but who has parental
responsibility, a close relative i.e. an
aunt, uncle, sibling, grandparent, step
parent, which excludes a cousin, a
great uncle/aunt and great
grandparents or a friend/neighbour
for a period of more than 28 days.
www.southwark.gov.uk
Do you ever hear people say….
I’m living with my auntie
He’s my cousin
She’s my
Granddaughter
www.southwark.gov.uk
Private fostering in context
• This is not a new phenomenon!
• There are lots of reasons why parents may seek a
private fostering arrangement
• Very common in certain parts of the world,
particularly Africa
• Southwark has the largest population of West
African born residents of any local authority in the
UK; however the number of notifications we have
received has declined by more than 75% in just two
years
www.southwark.gov.uk
Examples of Privately Fostered Children
• BME children with parents working or
studying in the UK
• Children from abroad in the UK for education
and/or health care
• Children living with a friend’s family after
separation, divorce or arguments at home
• Teenagers living with the family of a boy/girl
friend
www.southwark.gov.uk
Continued….
• Parents in hospital or prison, or absent for a
long period
• Parents who have mental health and/or
substance misuse problems
• Asylum seekers and refugees
• Trafficked children
• Children attending language schools and
those residing with host families
www.southwark.gov.uk
What does the law say about private
fostering?
The Children Act 1989 requires the local authority to satisfy
itself that the welfare of privately fostered children is
safeguarded and promoted. It requires parents and private
foster carers to notify the local authority of a private
fostering arrangement. The National Minimum Standards
for Private Fostering also require all those that come into
contact with privately fostered children, including teachers,
to notify the local authority of an arrangement where they
are not satisfied that the local authority has already been,
or will be, made aware of it.
www.southwark.gov.uk
Why does the law say this?
• “While most children in private fostering
situations will be well cared for, some may
not be. It is those children we are concerned
about”. David Holmes, BAAF chief executive
• Most children will thrive; however some
might be vulnerable to abuse and neglect
and are deemed to be invisible children
www.southwark.gov.uk
Kriss Akabusi MBE MA
• Former Olympic athlete Kriss Akabusi and his brother
suffered when they were privately fostered as children in
the 1960s.
• Their parents left them in the care of foster-families,
while they returned to "nation-build" in Nigeria after
independence.
• Mr Akabusi has publicly reported brutality and beatings
from one carer and that “the worst moment was when
my brother and I were forced to drink our urine because
we had wet our bed.”
BBC News UK
www.southwark.gov.uk
“After suffering months of horrific abuse, Victoria
Climbié died aged just eight on February 25
2000.
Nearly 18 months earlier her parents had sent
her from her home in a shanty town in the Ivory
Coast to live with her great-aunt in the hope she
would get a good education and enjoy a better
life. Instead she was beaten with bicycle chains
and kept trussed up in a plastic sack in an unlit,
unheated bathroom”
www.southwark.gov.uk
“Somebody else’s child”
• Private fostering is entirely normal in
many cultures and populations
• …but we still have to do what the law
requires of us.
“It takes a village to raise a child”
www.southwark.gov.uk
Role of School Business Manager
• You hold databases of pupil names,
addresses and carers – so you and
your school office staff are uniquely
able to spot Private Fostering
• Recent issue that came up at one
primary school is: “this is my
residential address, but my postal
address is different…”
www.southwark.gov.uk
Remaining Curious!
• When a child presents at school for the first time,
consider the following;
• Does the accompanying adult have Parental
Responsibility (PR) and can they evidence this?
• Does the child live with the person who has PR?
• If not, who does the child live with and how long
have they lived there?
• Has the LA been informed of this arrangement?
• In all cases……remain curious and ask questions!
www.southwark.gov.uk
What might you say if you want to query
the relationship of a caregiver and a
child new to the school?
Can you tell me what kind of Auntie you are?
Are you a blood relation to one of his/her parents?
Would you mind telling me a bit more about your
relationship to the child?
www.southwark.gov.uk
What might you say if you want to
discuss notification of a potential PF
arrangement?
It’s not a problem at all that
you’re looking after XYZ, but I
just need to let my colleagues
in the Children’s department
know. They’ll get in touch and
arrange to come and meet you.
Is that OK?
www.southwark.gov.uk
Reasons that some carer’s and parents
may be anxious about informing us…..
• A fear of racism and discrimination
• Concern that the LA may consider the
arrangement unsuitable
• Because they have something to hide
• Because they think its nobody’s
business but their own
www.southwark.gov.uk
What if the caregiver does not want you
to contact children’s services?
Can you tell me why it is that you would rather
I didn’t?
• You can – and should – let us know anyway
• Provide information and direct the caregiver to the website
www.southwark.gov.uk/privatefostering
www.southwark.gov.uk
Why it is important that you notify us…..
• Teachers / schools have a responsibility to
safeguarding the welfare of children that they
come into contact with in their daily work
(Working Together 2013)
• A child in a private fostering arrangement
who is not brought to the attention of the
Local Authority may be a child who is at risk
of significant harm
www.southwark.gov.uk
What do children’s services do in Private
Fostering cases?
•
•
•
•
Assessment of private fostering arrangement
Focus on the child’s wishes and feelings
Help, advice and support for the family
Enable private foster carers to claim certain
welfare benefits
• Access to services i.e. health and education
• Family contact
• Safeguarding
www.southwark.gov.uk
How to notify us or discuss a potential
case
• Refer to the Safeguarding hub (MASH)
immediately if you a concerned about a
child
[email protected]
020 7525 1921
• Or for advice and discussion, email
[email protected]
07539 346808
www.southwark.gov.uk
SUMMARY
Know what private fostering is
Remember it is probably more common in
Southwark than anywhere else in the
country
Always let us know. If you’re not sure,
email
[email protected]
www.southwark.gov.uk