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British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering have called for "urgent government action" to protect the thousands of privately fostered children at risk of physical, social or sexual abuse - many of whom are West African.

BAAF has called for the Adoption and Children Bill, currently before parliament, to be amended in the light of its report into private fostering, which reveals that there are between 8,000 and 10,000 children in private foster care in the UK.

The report says that a significant majority of black children of West African origin end up privately fostered by white families, often in rural areas where the child will experience separation from their culture.

"We do not think it is tolerable that there is a large group of children who are not given the protection of children living away from home," said BAAF chief executive Felicity Collier. "This is not good enough."

Private fostering applies to children up to 16 years of age (18 if disabled), who are in the care of someone who is not their parent or relative, for 28 days or more.

Others affected by private fostering include children attending language schools, boarding school pupils who live away from parents during the holidays, and "back door, pre-adoption" arrangements.

Using the Climbie inquiry to highlight the tragic consequences of unregistered private fostering, the report recommends that legislation should be introduced to require local authorities to maintain a register of "approved" private foster carers in their area; and to make it an offence to use an unregistered carer.

The report also calls for Department of Health standards and for the National Care Standards Commission to follow Scotland's lead by inspecting councils' private fostering services in England and Wales. Each council should also address private fostering in children's services plans and incorporate the Children Act 1989 principles of considering a child's religion, race, culture and language, in all its fostering guidelines and policies.

Terry Philpot, A Very Private Practice, British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering, available from 020 7593 2072.