Private Fostering

• Are you looking after a child while their parents work away from home?

• Are you helping out a family in crisis by looking after their children?

• Do you have a teenager staying with you because they don’t get on with their parents?

What is private fostering?

This is when a parent arranges for their child (under 16 years or under 18 if they have additional needs) to be looked after by a friend or relative for 28 days or more.

The arrangement is classed as private fostering when the adult is not a ‘close’ relative of the child, such as their sibling, step-parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle.

Every local authority in Scotland has an obligation to secure the welfare of privately fostered children under the Foster Children (Scotland) Act 1984.  It is an offence not to notify Orkney Islands Council of a private fostering arrangement.

• When you start looking after a child or plan to have a friend or relative care for your child, you must inform Orkney Islands Council’s Children’s Services.
• You should notify OIC at least two weeks before the placement is due to start, or within seven days of it starting if due to a family emergency.
•  You must provide details of where and with whom the child will be living.
• A member of staff will then meet with the carers to see if they can provide any help or advice.
• The worker will also carry out some basic checks to ensure that the care arrangement is safe for the child.
• A worker will visit the child and carers on an agreed basis and will also keep in touch with the child’s parents.

You can contact Children's Services on 01856 873535 or email the team - or download the 'Notification Form' from the 'Related Downloads' section of this page and post it to: 

Children's Services.

Community Social Services.

Orkney Islands Council.

School Place.

Kirkwall.

KW15 1NY.