What will Children and Community Services do?

Children and Community Services will work in partnership with the child, parents and private foster carer to ensure that the best possible arrangements are in place for the child. This includes:

• offering advice and support to the child, their parents and private foster carer
• helping to make sure that the child's racial, cultural, language and religious needs are being met
• visiting the child and private foster carer throughout the arrangement.

Private foster carers can also access a range of courses if they want to develop any specific skills. Courses include:

• Attachment, separation and loss
• Health and safety for carers
• HIV awareness
• First Aid
• Child protection
• Caring for babies and small children

You need to let Children and Community Services know of any child who is coming to live with you at least six weeks before the move. If the child is already living with you because of an emergency, then you should tell Children and Community Services immediately.

Contact Children and Community Services on 020 7641 4000.

Once we are clear that you intend to privately foster, Children and Community Services will assess the arrangements that have been made for the child and will explain anything else that needs doing.