Invisible children (From Bournemouth Echo)

Invisible children

9:00am Thursday 11th March 2010 in

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Recent research shows that we may have been vastly underestimating the extent of private fostering in England and Wales.

There could be hundreds of the so- called invisible children in your local community.

Private fostering describes an arrangement lasting 28 days or more where somebody other than a grandparent, aunt or uncle or other close relative cares for somebody else’s child.

By law the local authority must be notified of such arrangements. Sadly, in most cases, they are not.

The vast majority of privately fostered children will be well cared for, but still experience stress and anxiety from being separated from their birth family.

A small minority may not be well cared for and highly vulnerable. Please help us protect children and support families by talking to people in your neighbourhood about private fostering.

For more information visit our website: somebodyelseschild.org.uk.

David Holmes, chief executive, British Association for Adoption & Fostering