Office of Public Sector Information
Section 63(12).
1 For the purposes of this Schedule, a person fosters a child if—
(a) he is a local authority foster parent in relation to the child;
(b) he is a foster parent with whom the child has been placed by a voluntary organisation; or
(c) he fosters the child privately.
2 Subject to what follows, a person may not foster more than three children (“the usual fostering limit”).
3 A person may exceed the usual fostering limit if the children concerned are all siblings with respect to each other.
4 (1) A person may exceed the usual fostering limit if he is exempted from it by the local authority within whose area he lives.
(2) In considering whether to exempt a person, a local authority shall have regard, in particular, to—
(a) the number of children whom the person proposes to foster;
(b) the arrangements which the person proposes for the care and accommodation of the fostered children;
(c) the intended and likely relationship between the person and the fostered children;
(d) the period of time for which he proposes to foster the children; and
(e) whether the welfare of the fostered children (and of any other children who are or will be living in the accommodation) will be safeguarded and promoted.
(3) Where a local authority exempt a person, they shall inform him by notice in writing—
(a) that he is so exempted;
(b) of the children, described by name, whom he may foster; and
(c) of any condition to which the exemption is subject.
(4) A local authority may at any time by notice in writing—
(a) vary or cancel an exemption; or
(b) impose, vary or cancel a condition to which the exemption is subject,
and, in considering whether to do so, they shall have regard in particular to the considerations mentioned in sub-paragraph (2).
(5) The Secretary of State may make regulations amplifying or modifying the provisions of this paragraph in order to provide for cases where children need to be placed with foster parents as a matter of urgency.
5 (1) A person shall cease to be treated as fostering and shall be treated as carrying on a children’s home if—
(a) he exceeds the usual fostering limit; or
(b) where he is exempted under paragraph 4,—
(i) he fosters any child not named in the exemption; and
(ii) in so doing, he exceeds the usual fostering limit.
(2) Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply if the children concerned are all siblings in respect of each other.
6 (1) Every local authority shall establish a procedure for considering any representations (including any complaint) made to them about the discharge of their functions under paragraph 4 by a person exempted or seeking to be exempted under that paragraph.
(2) In carrying out any consideration of representations under sub-paragraph (1), a local authority shall comply with any regulations made by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this paragraph.
Section 66(5).
1 A child is not a privately fostered child while he is being looked after by a local authority.
2 (1) A child is not a privately fostered child while he is in the care of any person—
(a) in premises in which any—
(i) parent of his;
(ii) person who is not a parent of his but who has parental responsibility for him; or
(iii) person who is a relative of his and who has assumed responsibility for his care,
is for the time being living;
(b) in any children’s home;
(c) in accommodation provided by or on behalf of any voluntary organisation;
(d) in any school in which he is receiving full-time education;
(e) in any health service hospital;
(f) in any residential care home, nursing home or mental nursing home; or
(g) in any home or institution not specified in this paragraph but provided, equipped and maintained by the Secretary of State.
(2) Sub-paragraph (1)(b) to (g) does not apply where the person caring for the child is doing so in his personal capacity and not in the course of carrying out his duties in relation to the establishment mentioned in the paragraph in question.
3 A child is not a privately fostered child while he is in the care of any person in compliance with—
(a) an order under section 7(7)(b) of the [1969 c. 54.] Children and Young Persons Act 1969; or
(b) a supervision requirement within the meaning of the [1968 c. 49.] Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.
4 A child is not a privately fostered child while he is liable to be detained, or subject to guardianship, under the [1983 c. 20.] Mental Health Act 1983.
5 A child is not a privately fostered child while—
(a) he is placed in the care of a person who proposes to adopt him under arrangements made by an adoption agency within the meaning of—
(i) section 1 of the [1976 c. 36.] Adoption Act 1976;
(ii) section 1 of the [1978 c. 28.] Adoption (Scotland) Act 1978; or
(iii)
Article 3 of the [S.I. 1987/2203 (N.I. 22).] Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987; or
(b) he is a protected child.
6 (1) Where a person is fostering any child privately, or proposes to foster any child privately, the appropriate local authority may impose on him requirements as to—
(a) the number, age and sex of the children who may be privately fostered by him;
(b) the standard of the accommodation and equipment to be provided for them;
(c) the arrangements to be made with respect to their health and safety; and
(d) particular arrangements which must be made with respect to the provision of care for them,
and it shall be his duty to comply with any such requirement before the end of such period as the authority may specify unless, in the case of a proposal, the proposal is not carried out.
(2) A requirement may be limited to a particular child, or class of child.
(3) A requirement (other than one imposed under sub-paragraph (1)(a)) may be limited by the authority so as to apply only when the number of children fostered by the person exceeds a specified number.
(4) A requirement shall be imposed by notice in writing addressed to the person on whom it is imposed and informing him of—
(a) the reason for imposing the requirement;
(b) his right under paragraph 8 to appeal against it; and
(c) the time within which he may do so.
(5) A local authority may at any time vary any requirement, impose any additional requirement or remove any requirement.
(6) In this Schedule—
(a) “the appropriate local authority” means—
(i) the local authority within whose area the child is being fostered; or
(ii) in the case of a proposal to foster a child, the local authority within whose area it is proposed that he will be fostered; and
(b) “requirement”, in relation to any person, means a requirement imposed on him under this paragraph.
7 (1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision as to—
(a) the circumstances in which notification is required to be given in connection with children who are, have been or are proposed to be fostered privately; and
(b) the manner and form in which such notification is to be given.
(2) The regulations may, in particular—
(a) require any person who is, or proposes to be, involved (whether or not directly) in arranging for a child to be fostered privately to notify the appropriate authority;
(b) require any person who is—
(i) a parent of a child; or
(ii) a person who is not a parent of his but who has parental responsibility for a child,
and who knows that it is proposed that the child should be fostered privately, to notify the appropriate authority;
(c) require any parent of a privately fostered child, or person who is not a parent of such a child but who has parental responsibility for him, to notify the appropriate authority of any change in his address;
(d) require any person who proposes to foster a child privately, to notify the appropriate authority of his proposal;
(e) require any person who is fostering a child privately, or proposes to do so, to notify the appropriate authority of—
(i) any offence of which he has been convicted;
(ii) any disqualification imposed on him under section 68; or
(iii) any prohibition imposed on him under section 69;
(f) require any person who is fostering a child privately, to notify the appropriate authority of any change in his address;
(g) require any person who is fostering a child privately to notify the appropriate authority in writing of any person who begins, or ceases, to be part of his household;
(h) require any person who has been fostering a child privately, but has ceased to do so, to notify the appropriate authority (indicating, where the child has died, that that is the reason).
8 (1) A person aggrieved by—
(a) a requirement imposed under paragraph 6;
(b) a refusal of consent under section 68;
(c) a prohibition imposed under section 69;
(d) a refusal to cancel such a prohibition;
(e) a refusal to make an exemption under paragraph 4 of Schedule 7;
(f) a condition imposed in such an exemption; or
(g) a variation or cancellation of such an exemption,
may appeal to the court.
(2) The appeal must be made within fourteen days from the date on which the person appealing is notified of the requirement, refusal, prohibition, condition, variation or cancellation.
(3) Where the appeal is against—
(a) a requirement imposed under paragraph 6;
(b) a condition of an exemption imposed under paragraph 4 of Schedule 7; or
(c) a variation or cancellation of such an exemption,
the requirement, condition, variation or cancellation shall not have effect while the appeal is pending.
(4) Where it allows an appeal against a requirement or prohibition, the court may, instead of cancelling the requirement or prohibition—
(a) vary the requirement, or allow more time for compliance with it; or
(b) if an absolute prohibition has been imposed, substitute for it a prohibition on using the premises after such time as the court may specify unless such specified requirements as the local authority had power to impose under paragraph 6 are complied with.
(5) Any requirement or prohibition specified or substituted by a court under this paragraph shall be deemed for the purposes of Part IX (other than this paragraph) to have been imposed by the local authority under paragraph 6 or (as the case may be) section 69.
(6) Where it allows an appeal against a refusal to make an exemption, a condition imposed in such an exemption or a variation or cancellation of such an exemption, the court may—
(a) make an exemption;
(b) impose a condition; or
(c) vary the exemption.
(7) Any exemption made or varied under sub-paragraph (6), or any condition imposed under that sub-paragraph, shall be deemed for the purposes of Schedule 7 (but not for the purposes of this paragraph) to have been made, varied or imposed under that Schedule.
(8) Nothing in sub-paragraph (1)(e) to (g) confers any right of appeal on—
(a) a person who is, or would be if exempted under Schedule 7, a local authority foster parent; or
(b) a person who is, or would be if so exempted, a person with whom a child is placed by a voluntary organisation.
9 (1) Where a child under sixteen who is a pupil at a school which is not maintained by a local education authority lives at the school during school holidays for a period of more than two weeks, Part IX shall apply in relation to the child as if—
(a) while living at the school, he were a privately fostered child; and
(b) paragraphs 2(1)(d) and 6 were omitted.
(2) Sub-paragraph (3) applies to any person who proposes to care for and accommodate one or more children at a school in circumstances in which some or all of them will be treated as private foster children by virtue of this paragraph.
(3) That person shall, not less than two weeks before the first of those children is treated as a private foster child by virtue of this paragraph during the holiday in question, give written notice of his proposal to the local authority within whose area the child is ordinarily resident (“the appropriate authority”), stating the estimated number of the children.
(4) A local authority may exempt any person from the duty of giving notice under sub-paragraph (3).
(5) Any such exemption may be granted for a special period or indefinitely and may be revoked at any time by notice in writing given to the person exempted.
(6) Where a child who is treated as a private foster child by virtue of this paragraph dies, the person caring for him at the school shall, not later than 48 hours after the death, give written notice of it—
(a) to the appropriate local authority; and
(b) where reasonably practicable, to each parent of the child and to every person who is not a parent of his but who has parental responsibility for him.
(7) Where a child who is treated as a foster child by virtue of this paragraph ceases for any other reason to be such a child, the person caring for him at the school shall give written notice of the fact to the appropriate local authority.
10 No advertisement indicating that a person will undertake, or will arrange for, a child to be privately fostered shall be published, unless it states that person’s name and address.
11 A person who fosters a child privately and for reward shall be deemed for the purposes of the [1774 c. 48.] Life Assurance Act 1774 to have no interest in the life of the child.
Children Act 1989