Private Fostering in England: why the 2026 survey matters
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.
Why is CoramBAAF doing a private fostering survey?
The Department for Education stopped collection of any data about private fostering in 2015, which means that the number of children who are privately fostered is not known. CoramBAAF would like to support a better understanding of this often hidden group of children, by asking our members about private fostering in their local authority. We know from our discussions with private fostering practitioners that numbers vary around the country, and understanding this better will also help raise awareness.
How will the information be used (both now and in future) to improve outcomes for these children?
We will collate the information into a report that will be published on our website and shared during Private Fostering Awareness Day on 4 November 2026. We may ask the Department for Education to read and comment on the report. Information gathered in this year’s survey will be compared to data gathered in the last two years. We hope that a year-on-year comparison will provide useful information about the numbers and demographics of children living in private fostering arrangements.
Why is it important to raise awareness amongst all professionals working with children?
Private Fostering Awareness Day (PFAD) and the private fostering survey is dedicated to raising awareness about private fostering. The objective is to inform the public about what private fostering entails and its significance. We want to support our members to continue to raise awareness about private fostering, both in their local authorities and with colleagues working in housing, health and education and other community organisations. It is important to raise awareness to support private foster carers and parents who may not be aware of the need to notify the local authority of the arrangement and therefore to ensure the needs of children living in private fostering arrangements are met.
How can you get involved in your area, with the survey, and upcoming events/ resources/ plans for November?
If you are responsible for private fostering in your local authority, please complete the survey here. If you are not responsible, please forward the link to the relevant practitioner to complete. The survey will be open until 31 July 2026
Private Fostering Awareness Day will take place on 4 November 2026. We will be running a Breakfast Briefing (9 – 9.55am) – an Introduction to Private Fostering. This is a free, open access event for everyone – you do not need to be a member of CoramBAAF to attend. Please share the link to register your interest and share this with colleagues working in other local authority departments, housing, education, health and community organisations.
We will also be running a lunchtime event – Private fostering – complexity, challenges and solutions for practitioners. We will be considering common challenges and dilemmas in private fostering and hearing from local authorities about their approaches to this, including the relationship between parents and private foster carers.
CoramBAAF has created a suite of resources to help you raise awareness of private fostering in your area. You can access fact cards, email banners and posters on our page here: Private Fostering Awareness Day 2026 | CoramBAAF