PEOPLE who foster children 'privately' are being urged to give their details to social services bosses.

County Hall chiefs fear there may be dozens of cases of children being looked after by people other than their parents but aren't known to social workers.

According to an inspection into Lancashire's social services department, there are just six cases of arrangements being made privately for children to be looked after by people other than their parents.

All such cases should be reported to social services so that social workers can offer help to the foster carers and also monitor the well-being of the children.

The vast majority of Lancashire's foster children are placed with foster parents through social services.

Many of those youngsters come to the attention of social workers when their parents can no longer cope, don't want them or may be abusing them.

But Coun Doreen Pollitt, deputy leader of the county council and chairman of the former social services committee, said: "We fear there may be many more cases of children being fostered without us knowing.

"For example, parents may move away to a good job in London and the grandmother is left to look after the children.

"It is perfectly OK for this to happen but we do need to know about it so we can offer support."

As a result of the Social Services' Inspectorate report, an action plan has been drawn up to find out case of children being privately fostered so their details can be noted.

Details of the Action Plan were not made public at a meeting of Lancashire's cabinet executive committee, although it is expected to include a campaign to get more people to come forward.

Opposition councillors claimed the inspection report, which looked at issues such as the future of children's homes, was a damning a one.

But Coun Pollitt said: "It was no such thing. There are areas where we can improve and we will improve. One area is private fostering. People need know they should be talking to us."