About living in care
Sometimes you can’t live with your family. This might be because your parents have asked for help, or a court has said you need to be cared for somewhere else. This happens if your parents can’t look after you properly, or if it’s not safe to stay with them.
Living in foster care
If you go into care, you will usually live with a foster family. Some other young people might live in residential care.
What’s it like living with a foster family?
Foster carers are people who have been checked to make sure they can look after you safely. They might be married or single, and they might have children or not. Your foster family will help you with things like:
- giving you meals
- taking you to school
- going shopping and buying you clothes
- keeping you safe
- listening to you and helping with any problems
- doing fun things, like going out and making sure you can still do things you enjoy
Foster families know it can feel strange and upsetting at first. It might take time to get used to living with new people. They might eat different food or watch different TV shows. Your foster family will try to help you feel happy and settled. There will be rules in the house, like:
- doing your homework
- when you can go out
- how much pocket money you get
- what time you go to bed
- helping out with jobs in the house
How long will I be in foster care?
How long you stay in foster care depends on your situation. We will talk to you and your family and make a plan for you. You might stay for a short time if your parents need help, and you might go home later.
If the court says it’s not safe to go home, you will get a ‘care order’. This means you will stay in care until you are 18. Sometimes, you might be adopted or stay with your foster carers for a long time. Your social worker will explain things and answer your questions. They will also listen to what you think.
What happens when I leave foster care?
When you leave care, you might go home to your family or stay in foster care for longer. Your social worker will keep in touch with you. It’s important to tell them what you want, so they can help you.
There will be meetings with you, your parents, your school, and other people who help you. You will talk about how you are doing and what help you need.
When you turn 18, you become an adult. You can choose to stay with your foster carers or move out. We will help you with this.
Find out more about being fostered
If you are having problems at home, you might think about foster care. Please talk to us before things get too hard. We will look at your family’s situation to find out how to help. If it’s safe for you to stay with your parents or a relative, we will try to help you stay there first.
You can also talk to an adult you trust, like a teacher or youth worker.
Contact us to find out more about foster care.
Living in residential care
Who is residential care for?
Residential care means living in a house with other children and having adults who take care of you.
Sometimes, you can’t stay with your family. It might be that your parents have asked for you to be looked after, or that a court decided that you need to go into care so you can be safe.
What’s it really like living in residential care?
Residential homes look like normal family homes and are in nice areas near schools and shops. You will have your own bedroom.
Getting used to a new place with new people can take time, but the adults at the home will try their best to make you feel comfortable. They will get to know you and the things you like.
There will be a few other children living with you. They will have had similar experiences to you and will help you feel welcome.
When you live in residential care, you will still go to school. You will have time to see your friends, do fun activities, and go on holidays.
Lucy, who was 16 and lived in residential care for three years, said:
‘Even though you don’t live with your family, the staff at the homes become like family to you’.
How long will I live there?
It depends on your situation and why you are in care. You will have meetings with people supporting you to see if the residential home is still the best place for you.
We talk with you, your family, and your social worker to make a plan for your future. If possible, the plan is to help you go back home.
If going home is not possible, your social worker will explain everything to you, answer your questions, and listen to your thoughts.
What happens when I leave care?
The residential staff will help you settle into your new place, keep in touch with you, and support you. When you turn 18 and become an adult, you will still get help as a ‘care leaver’.
