True number of privately fostered children still not known

The statistics published this week by the Department for Children Schools and Families show there has been a 15 per cent rise in the number of private fostering arrangements in England, from 1,330 in March 2008 to 1,530 in March 2009.

But while BAAF is encouraged by the efforts of government and local authorities to drive up the numbers of private fostering notifications, the group admits there is still a long way to go.

John Simmonds, BAAF's director of policy, said: "We are pleased the numbers are heading in the right direction, but it is still going to be an uphill struggle."

Earlier this year BAAF launched its Somebody Else's Child awareness raising campaign to encourage private fosterers to come forward and agencies working with children to look out for private fostering arrangements.

Simmonds added: "The feedback from the campaign showed that 15 per cent of people who didn't previously know, became aware of what private fostering was.

"Our biggest challenge is trying to reach those who are at the margins of society and see the risks of notifying authorities of their situation."

Private fostering refers to when a child is cared for by someone other than a parent or close relative for more than 28 days consecutively.

The Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations 2005, placed a duty on local authorities to raise public awareness that they must be notified of private fostering arrangements.

In February, Christine Gilbert, Ofsted's chief inspector of schools, voiced disappointment at the lack of progress made in raising public awareness.

She said a quarter of local authorities had made little progress in implementing their duties under the Children Act 2004 and the National Minimum Standards.

The region with the highest number of notifications was London with 400 and the lowest was the North East with just 70.