Bid to boost fostering awareness
Carmarthenshire will be taking part in a national awareness week to increase parents’ knowledge of the laws surrounding private fostering arrangements.
Throughout the week (March 21-27, 2011), Carmarthenshire County Council’s fostering teams will be speaking to parents to explain the rules around private foster care, and the arrangements they have to put in place to ensure the safety of their children.
A Private Fostering Arrangement is when a young person aged under 16, or 18 if they are disabled, is placed in the care of another adult who is not a close relative for 28 days or more.
A close relative is an aunt, uncle, step-parent, grandparent or sibling, but not a cousin, grand aunt or uncle, or a family friend.
If such an arrangement is put in place, the parent has a legal obligation to inform the local authority at least six weeks before it is due to start.
Jackie Sloane, Carmarthenshire’s fostering recruitment team manager, said: “Parents have a responsibility to ensure that their child is in a suitable and safe private fostering arrangement.
“Many people may be unaware of the legalities around private foster care, which are there to protect children and ensure their safety.
“The information will help us to ensure the child is well looked after and does not come to any harm when they are placed in the care of someone else, whether it be a friend or a member of the family that is not classed as a close relative.”
Cllr Gwynne Wooldridge, Executive Board Member for Children’s Services, added: “It is important that parents realise that they have a duty to inform the local authority if they are going to ask someone else to care for their child for four weeks or more.
“Our foster care teams are on hand to give help and advice to parents, and will make sure that our children are safe for the duration of their care arrangements.”
For further information, please contact the Social Service Assessment Teams on 01554 742322 for Llanelli, or 01558 825485 for Carmarthen and Dinefwr.
Throughout the week (March 21-27, 2011), Carmarthenshire County Council’s fostering teams will be speaking to parents to explain the rules around private foster care, and the arrangements they have to put in place to ensure the safety of their children.
A Private Fostering Arrangement is when a young person aged under 16, or 18 if they are disabled, is placed in the care of another adult who is not a close relative for 28 days or more.
A close relative is an aunt, uncle, step-parent, grandparent or sibling, but not a cousin, grand aunt or uncle, or a family friend.
If such an arrangement is put in place, the parent has a legal obligation to inform the local authority at least six weeks before it is due to start.
Jackie Sloane, Carmarthenshire’s fostering recruitment team manager, said: “Parents have a responsibility to ensure that their child is in a suitable and safe private fostering arrangement.
“Many people may be unaware of the legalities around private foster care, which are there to protect children and ensure their safety.
“The information will help us to ensure the child is well looked after and does not come to any harm when they are placed in the care of someone else, whether it be a friend or a member of the family that is not classed as a close relative.”
Cllr Gwynne Wooldridge, Executive Board Member for Children’s Services, added: “It is important that parents realise that they have a duty to inform the local authority if they are going to ask someone else to care for their child for four weeks or more.
“Our foster care teams are on hand to give help and advice to parents, and will make sure that our children are safe for the duration of their care arrangements.”
For further information, please contact the Social Service Assessment Teams on 01554 742322 for Llanelli, or 01558 825485 for Carmarthen and Dinefwr.
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