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!

CoramBAAF initiated a Private Fostering Awareness Day to raise awareness of this often overlooked group of children. We have had an influx of support by local authorities across the UK who are raising awareness in their area, using our resources and materials.

What is private fostering?

Private fostering is a private arrangement made between a parent and a responsible adult for the care of a child under the age of 16 (under 18 if disabled). The person who will be looking after the child is not a parent or close relative of the child, and the arrangement is planned to last for at least 28 days. 

Private foster carers may be from the extended family such as a cousin or great aunt. A private foster carer may be a friend of the family, the parent of a friend of the child, or someone previously unknown to the child’s family who is willing to privately foster the child. 

The period for which the child is cared for and accommodated by the private foster carer should be continuous but can include the occasional short break. The local authority in which the private foster carer lives must be notified of the arrangement. 

Browse our private fostering section on our website, it provides members with supplementary materials to develop their knowledge and practice for their work with privately fostered children, their carers and parents. Our range of resources include references, legal notes and material for raising awareness and working with private fostering arrangements. If you have more complex queries you should contact our Member Advice Line.

By sharing your email with us we are able to contact you about everything we have planned for Private Fostering Awareness Day. By signing up you are confirming that you are happy to be contacted. We will only contact you with information about what we have planned for PFAD and the relevant information you need to get involved. Read our privacy notice for more information.

Download our resources and start raising awareness

To help you raise awareness about private fostering in your area and support your learning, we have designed and published a range of resources for you to download and share. Our popular fact cards have been updated to include new information and additional image options, to better represent our membership. Download, print and share out posters with your colleagues and networks. Our email signatures and website banners have been designed for you to easily be able to use them in your emails or on your website, but feel free to use them however you wish - for example in your internal and external newsletters or as part of your documents and resources.

Social media templates

Our Kinship Consultants have designed easy to use social media content for you to engage and share information about private fostering and Private Fostering Awareness Day 2025. Our templates include designs for LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram. If you do use the templates, we suggest tagging @CoramBAAF (or @Coram on Instagram) and using the hashtags #privatefostering #awareness and #PFAD. For any feedback or questions, contact ellyse.hinder@corambaaf.org.uk.

Private Fostering Awareness Day 2026 | Save the date

On Wednesday, 4 November, we’ll come together to spread the word about private fostering. Let’s keep the conversation going throughout the year, because every child deserves support.