Caring for a child you already know
Information about Family and Friends Foster Care, Special Guardianship Orders, Private Fostering
Family and Friends Fostering
When a child who is looked after by the Local Authority lives with a relative or friend instead of being placed with foster carers or in residential accommodation, these are known as "Family and Friends Carers".
Private Fostering
Private fostering is when a child under the age of 16 is cared for by someone who is not their parent or a close relative.
Special Guardianship Orders
A Special Guardianship Order is a legal way of providing long-term stability for a child who cannot return to live with their birth parents and for whom adoption is not appropriate