Special Educational Needs: support in England
An overview of the current system of support for children and young people with special educational needs, and pressure on the system. Updated with new 2024-25 SEND incidence and EHC plan data

This note provides information on the different types of fostering arrangements available, and the arrangements for taking a child into care.
Fostering – long-term, emergency, temporary and private placements; and care orders (115 KB , PDF)
A fostering arrangement is different to adoption. When a child is adopted, legal responsibility sits entirely with the new parents, as if the child had been born to them. Fostering is not such a dramatic step: a fostered child, even one who is in the care of a local authority, can return to their birth parents if the circumstances are appropriate. Alternatively, fostering can be a staging post to adoption (for example, until suitable adoptees are matched).
If a child is taken into the care of a local authority, then the local authority might place the child with foster carers. Such foster carers have to be approved by the local authority or a fostering agency, unless it is a temporary placement. Approval is a detailed process, culminating in a fostering panel considering a person’s suitability to foster, and making a recommendation to the fostering service.
For children not in the care of a local authority, a private fostering arrangement can be made. This is an arrangement lasting at least 28 days where the foster carer is someone other than a parent, relative, or someone who has parental responsibility for the child.
The local authority must be notified of such an arrangement; notification must include details of the child and the foster carer and a local authority officer must regularly visit the child. The local authority has the power to prevent or stop a private fostering arrangement.
However, there is no need to notify the local authority of a private fostering arrangement if it intended to be less than 28 days in duration, or if the arrangement is with a parent, relative (grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt) or person with parental responsibility for them.
In addition to a private fostering arrangement, a relative such as a grandparent, can seek to foster their grandchild if the child is in care. They can become a local authority foster carer if they gain approval, or offer a temporary placement for 16 weeks without needing approval.
The Library Standard Note Support for family and friends carers looking after children (SN/SP/2967) might also be of interest, which also includes details of support available to local authority foster carers.
Fostering – long-term, emergency, temporary and private placements; and care orders (115 KB , PDF)
An overview of the current system of support for children and young people with special educational needs, and pressure on the system. Updated with new 2024-25 SEND incidence and EHC plan data
A general debate on giving every child the best start in life is scheduled to take place in the House of Commons Chamber on Wednesday 16 July 2025.
A debate on children's health is scheduled to take place in the House of Commons Chamber on Thursday 10 July 2025. The subject for the debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee, and the debate will be led by Dr Simon Opher MP.