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Residential care for children

When children and young people come to live in a children's home they will have a care plan.

The care plan states 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. Older children who are not planning to return home, are given help to prepare them for living on their own - this is called Leaving Care.

Education is important. Children go to their own school if they have a school place, or we help to get them back into school. Although some young people may still attend different resources in the community, for example school or college.

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 will not be able to visit them.

Children and young people are respected as individuals. By providing for their religious and cultural needs children are encouraged to keep their sense of personal identity and community.

Eligibility for service

Children and young people have to live away from their own families for all sorts of reasons. These include:

  • their parents are unwell
  • they have problems with their family and need to spend some time away from home, for example behaviour problems or educational difficulties
  • they may have a disability and need a break from living with their families
  • they are in the care of local authority subject on a Court Order or an Interim Care Order, and, 
  • generally, when children and young people need to live away from their families, they will stay with foster carers. It is only when Foster care is either not possible or not desirable accommodation or may not be what the young person would choose

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

Contact us

Write to us: Social Care and Early Help, Halford House, 91 Charles Street, Leicester, LE1 1HL 
Ring us on: 0116 454 4500
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