Residential care for children

What is it?

Children's homes are there to ensure that the needs of children are met when they cannot live with their own family.

When children and young people come to live in a children's home they will have a care plan. Their care plan says why a child is living in a home, what is supposed to happen while they are living there and what is supposed to happen at the end of their stay. Most children will go home, but a few go to live with other families and a few go to live in other homes.

It is very important that children and young people stay in touch with their family and friends. It is only when they might be hurt, or a court order says that contact is not allowed, that some children will not be able to have visits from their family or go to visit them.

Why do children go into residential homes?

The reasons can be very varied. These include:

1. their parents are unwell ;
2. they have problems with their family and need to spend some time away from home, e.g. behaviour problems or learning difficulties;
3. they may have a disability and need a break from living with their families;
4. they are in the care of local authority subject to court order or an interim care order.

Generally, when children or young people need to live away from their families, they will stay with foster carers. It is only when foster care is not possible, not desirable or not what the young person would choose that residential care is considered.

In all cases, we make sure that all the alternatives are fully explored before recommending residential care.

What provision is there for older children?

Older children who are not planning to return home, are given help to prepare them for living on their own - this is called aftercare.