The Family and friends foster care policy applies in respect of the placement of looked after children with family and friends foster carers. Many other children are not looked after by the local authority but live with family and friends under a special guardianship or child arrangements order, under private fostering arrangements, or informally with relatives.

Connected persons

A connected person is someone who is a relative, friend or other person connected with a looked after child. A person in the last category may be someone who knows the child in a professional capacity, such as a childminder, teacher or youth worker. Relative means grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt (whether of full blood, half blood or by marriage or civil partnership) or a step parent.

In this policy the term family and friends foster carer is used to mean a connected persons foster carer.

Role of family and friends foster carers

The role, rights and responsibilities of family and friends foster carers is the same as that of other foster carers, and the fostering service will provide supervision and support in accordance with the policies of the service. This includes the same financial support as for other foster carers. However some services may be delivered in a different way where this better meets the needs of the carer.

Family and friends foster care policy 2023 (DOCX, 52.85 KB)