Private Fostering Awareness Day 2025
Annually on the first Wednesday in November, CoramBAAF hosts Private Fostering Awareness Day. Today, Wednesday 5 November 2025, is the day!
Find out moreWhat's new
Parental consent and children/young people who are living in private fostering arrangements
This Practice Note explains that private fostering does not require parental consent, either written or verbal. The local authority must assess and monitor any such arrangement under the Children Act 1989 and the Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations 2005, focusing on safeguarding and promoting the child’s welfare rather than how the arrangement came about. While parental involvement is encouraged, it is not a legal requirement.
Download herePrivate Fostering Awareness Day 2025: Hear from carers, young people, and practitioners
CoramBAAF’s Private Fostering Awareness Day highlights the importance of notifying local authorities when a child lives with someone who isn’t a close relative for more than 28 days. Join us for events including a Breakfast Briefing and Lunch & Learn session to explore private fostering, hear from carers and young people, and discover key findings from this year’s survey.
Read more‘Adoption & Fostering’ journal: October issue (Vol 49, Issue 3) now available!
‘Adoption & Fostering’s’ international reputation and scope are showcased in the latest issue, out now. The October issue features articles exploring experiences of intercountry adoption and outlining work with children in care and their families in Nigeria, Greece and Italy as well as here in the UK.
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New Child Health assessment forms | Supporting better outcomes for children in care
CoramBAAF’s newly updated Child Health assessment forms (2025) offer a more child-centred, collaborative approach to statutory health assessments, supporting improved long-term outcomes and aligning with forthcoming national quality standards.
Find out moreUpcoming training, events and conferences
Private Fostering Awareness Day: Breakfast briefing
5 November | 9am - 9.55am | Zoom
A child who is cared for by someone who is not a close relative for more than 28 days is living in a private fostering arrangement. All local authorities have a responsibility to raise awareness of private fostering in their area. CoramBAAF is delighted to be running the third national Private Fostering Awareness Day. Join Ann Horne and Clare Seth for a free and open access Breakfast Briefing – An Introduction to Private Fostering.
Private Fostering Awareness Day: Lunch & Learn
5 November | 12.30pm - 2pm | Zoom
This year’s lunchtime session for Private Fostering Awareness Day will focus on who private foster carers are and their experiences. We will hear from local authority practitioners and the voices of private foster carers and consider some of the common dilemmas that arise in private fostering arrangements. The event will also preview the results of this year’s CoramBAAF private fostering survey and the accompanying report will be published on the same day.
Keeping children in care connected to their cultures
11 November | 11.30am - 1pm | Zoom
In this session we will share key messages and highlight practice tips for practitioners, managers and organisational leaders. It will provide an overview of the SELF cultural framework. And it will provide an A-to-Z practice prompt to encourage practices that can be more intentional, more curious and more respectful.
JUST PUBLISHED
Undertaking a kinship assessment: A guide to collecting and analysing information for Form K (England)
Undertaking a Kinship Assessment is designed to help social workers gather relevant and proportionate assessment information to complete robust and evidence-based assessments of prospective kinship carers and identify support needs to mitigate risk and vulnerabilities. It can be used by assessing social workers using CoramBAAF Kinship Care Assessment (Form K) (England) published in 2025. Form K can be used to assess any prospective kinship carer and to enable approval as a kinship foster carer (connected carer/family and friends) or to recommend special guardianship orders.
Find out moreStarter packs for newly qualified social workers
To help newly qualified social workers, or those that want to refresh their knowledge, we have created a fostering and adoption starter pack. You will receive our top selling titles at a discounted price.
IN OUR BOOKSHOP
Adoption starter pack
Get 'Adoption now', 'Making good assessments', and 'The child's legal journey through care' for £45 (usually £54.90).
Find out moreFostering starter pack
Get 'Fostering now', 'Making good assessments', and 'The child's legal journey through care' for £40 (usually £49.90).
Find out moreBumper fostering starter pack
Timeless bestsellers that offer invaluable guidance for the vital work of fostering professionals. Dive into these essential resources to gain practical insights and robust guidance, whether you're just starting or a seasoned professional. Get this bundle for £75 (usually £82.80).