Fostering support privacy notice

The service covers fostering, as well as Supported Lodging Hosts and Special Guardians.  We have to comply with the requirements set by the Children Act 1989 and the Care Standards Act 2000, and regulations made under those Acts, as well as National Minimum standards. 

We provide support to foster carers and also undertake Annual Foster Carer Reviews each year.  In addition, statutory checks are completed for each foster carer household at three yearly intervals, this also includes checks on household members 18 and over.  Barnet is a member of the North London Fostering Consortium, which is a group of six local authorities working together to house children in care.

Personal information collected

  • Name
  • Address and contact details
  • Date of Birth
  • Health information
  • NHS Number
  • Equalities information
  • Employment
  • Financial information
  • Information from the Local Authority from where you live and previously lived
  • Personal Referees 
  • Other Agencies Involved 
  • Education Information 
  • Health Information  
  • Financial Information
  • Criminal/Prosecution Information 
  • Housing Information  
  • Family/Relationship Information including the support network

Who we share the information with

  • Council Social Care teams for children and adults
  • UK Border Agency
  • Police
  • Department for Education
  • Health Agencies (like the NHS or GPs)
  • Council Education Service
  • Housing Providers (like Barnet Homes)
  • Medical Adviser (commissioned from NHS Trust)
  • Prison/probation services
  • Third sector/Voluntary Agencies
  • Independent Fostering Agencies
  • Other Local Authorities
  • Ofsted
  • Judicial Agencies eg Courts 

Legislation that applies

  • The Fostering Service (England) Regulations 2011
  • Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers: Amendments to Children’s Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations (2013)
  • Care Leavers (England) Regulations 2010
  • Care Planning, Placement Review (England) Regulations 2010
  • Care Planning, Placement and Case Review and Fostering Services (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2013
  • Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review
  • Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 3: Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers
  • Children and Young Persons Act 2008
  • Care Standards Act 2000
  • Care Planning Regulations 2010
  • The Children’s Home and Looked After Children (Miscellaneous Amendments) (England) Regulations 2013
  • Delegation of Authority to Carers: Amendments to the Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations
  • National Minimum Standards:
  • Fostering Services National Minimum Standards (2011)
  • Statutory Guidance
  • The Children’s Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 4: Fostering Services (2011)
  • Early Permanence Placements and Approval of Prospective Adopters as Foster Carers – Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities and Adoption Agencies
  • Family and Friends Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities

How long we keep your information

 10 years from termination of service

  • Case records for approved foster carers (including relatives, friends or connected persons granted temporary approval under regulation 24 of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010), and any information relating to them contained in the register of foster carers.

10 years after the carer has ceased to foster

  • Individual case management of families or adults who have fostered children

10 years from closure

  • Case records for people who are not approved as a foster parent, or who withdraws their application prior to approval, for example application forms.