Private fostering was a big issue in the Climbie Inquiry, wasn't it? Well, yes and no. It was, in fact, a private fostering arrangement, but Marie-Therese Kouao - Victoria's great aunt - maintained the child was her daughter, Anna. So the nature of the relationship between the two was falsified. However, Lord Laming did recommend that the Government review the law regarding the registration of private foster carers.
But what is the law now? A private fostering arrangement is where a child or young person up to 16 (or 18 if disabled) lives for 28 days or more with an adult who is not a relative or approved foster carer. The law that is meant to safeguard these children dates to the Children Act 1989 and the Children and Private Fostering Regulations 1991. Prospective foster parents and the child's parents should inform the local council of the arrangements. Social services would visit to assess the suitability of the placement, and keep in contact with the child during the foster placement to safeguard welfare.
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