Children living away from home

Some children are 'looked after' by Social Services, which means that we make arrangements for them to live away from home. This used to be called 'being in care'.

Families can experience periods of stress or crisis. We support families through these difficult times and if it really is in their best interest for children not to stay at home, we make arrangements for them to be looked after.

Initially we see if there are friends or relatives who could look after the child. If this is not possible or appropriate then we can arrange for the child to live with a foster carer. In some circumstances, the child might be placed in a children’s home.

All these arrangements are made with the agreement of the parents who retain their parental responsibilities. If a young person is over 16, they can discuss their problems with us and will be assessed as to what help is most appropriate.

Sometimes, following legal proceedings, the court may decide that a child should not live with his or her family and gives Social Services the authority to make decisions about the child’s welfare. This will involve deciding where the child should live. This might be with the parents or within the extended family. In some cases, a permanent arrangement outside the family is best for the child.

Before arranging for a child or young person to be looked after away from home, we:

ensure that all other possibilities have been explored
try to arrange for children to be looked after by foster carers rather than in children’s homes
try to keep brothers and sisters together
try to place children as near to their family home as possible
take into account the religious, cultural, health and educational needs of the child

We also help children whom we look after to prepare for independent living. Services are available for young people who have left local authority care up to the age of 21.

Private fostering

If you are looking after a child under 16 who is not a relative, for more than 28 days, it is a private fostering arrangement and the law says you must inform social services, who then have a duty to make regular visits to ensure the child’s welfare is being promoted.