People in Bristol who are caring for somebody else’s child are being asked to let Bristol City Council know.<\/p>\n
This is to make sure the arrangements made are in the child’s best interests.<\/p>\n
As part of the national campaign Somebody Else’s Child, the council is aiming to raise awareness about private fostering.<\/p>\n
“Most people don\u2019t know that if someone has a child under the age of 16 living with them for a month or more, who is not a close relative such as a parent, grandparent, brother or sister, there is a legal duty for them to tell the council,” says Private fostering co-ordinator for Bristol, Liz Osborn.<\/p>\n
The kind of arrangements which would count as private fostering include children who are living with a friend’s family because of problems at home; a host family for a school term, school year, or during a holiday; children staying with extended family because of arguments at home, or while seeking asylum; or the unmarried partner of a parent continuing to care for a child when the parent leaves home.<\/p>\n
The Department of Health estimate there could be as many as 10,000 children in England and Wales who are being fostered like this, but there are no official figures.<\/p>\n
Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Clare Campion-Smith, said: “We all have a role to play in keeping children safe – whether you are a teacher, youth worker, neighbour, or chat to other mums at the school gate. In Bristol, we receive a steady stream of notifications about private fostering arrangements, but believe there are more children we don\u2019t know about. If anyone does know of a child they think may be privately fostered, we urge them to let the council know.”<\/p>\n
An adult who is not a direct relative must contact the council should a child under sixteen be in their care for 28 days or more.
\nDirect relatives are considered to be a parent, step-parent, grandparent, person with parental responsibility, brother, sister, uncle or aunt (whether blood-relation, or by marriage).<\/p>\n
For more information on private fostering, visit the council\u2019s website at www.bristol.gov.uk\/privatefostering<\/p>\n
or visit<\/p>\n
www.somebodyelseschild.org.uk<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
People in Bristol who are caring for somebody else’s child are being asked to let Bristol City Council know. This<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bristol-news"],"yoast_head":"\n