A guide for children coming into care

Going into care

It is not always possible for children to live with their parents and siblings.  We are here to make sure you are looked after, safe and happy.

You might live with other family members or you could live with foster carers.  No matter where your new home might be, you will be valued and cared for.

Your social worker will be able to give you more information and answer any question you may have.

Sometimes a court makes a decision about where a young person will live, known as a “care order”.  Others will be looked after with the agreement of the parents, known as “being accommodated”.

Your Local Authority (RBKC Council) has a parental duty for every looked after child in the area, so no matter the reason for you coming into care, you will be cared for!

What is a 'Looked after child'

The term 'looked after' refers to children who are under 18 who have been provided with care and accommodation by Family Services.

There are three ways that you can become looked after:

  • with parental agreement under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989 - this may include short breaks
  • under a care order from a family court under Section 31 of the Children Act 1989 - when a care order is made, Family Services gain parental responsibility and become a legal parent alongside your parent or guardian
  • if a court orders that you should be “remanded” into local authority accommodation

Assessment of needs

Sometimes you only need to be looked after for a short period of time before you return to your family. In other circumstances, the arrangement can be longer or even more permanent.

To help us decide the best plan for you and your family, we carry out an assessment of needs. The assessment includes your and parents' views, and together we will agree arrangements for your care.

These arrangements are set out in two documents:

  • The Care plan
  • The Placement plan

Care plan

A care plan explains how we will support your:

  • health
  • education
  • religion
  • culture
  • hobbies

We review the care plan regularly in meetings chaired by an independent reviewing officer.

Placement plan

The placement plan sets out:

  • where and with whom you will live
  • any special arrangements such as travel to school
  • any arrangements for when and how you will keep contact with people who are important to you

The placement plan is completed within five days of you being looked after. 

Where will I live?

The place you live when you become looked after is known as your “placement”.  Everyone has different reasons for needing care, so there are different types of placements to make sure everyone gets the support they need.

Foster Placement 

This is where you live with another family in their home.  Those who are look after you will be known as your foster carers.

Kinship Placement

This is where a member of your family, such as a grandparent or uncle, looks after you and lets you live with them.

Residential Care

This is where a number of young people live together in the same house.  They are looked after by a team of staff.  You will also have a key worker, who will get to know you and provide you with the support you need.

Short Break Care 

This is where you are looked after for short periods of time. This usually happens on a regular basis.

Your social worker, and if possible, your parents will go with you to meet your new carers and help you to settle in. You should never feel isolated or alone on this journey, so make sure you talk to your new carers about your likes and dislikes so that they can make you comfortable.  Your carers will know the reason for you being looked after.

How long will I be looked after?

Where possible, we will try our hardest to get you home with your family, but we need to be certain that it is right and safe for you.

To make sure we know what is right for you, there will be meetings in which we form a plan. These are your meetings where you will have a say and your voice should be heard. This is after all, your future.

The plans we make for young children and young people

  • To be looked after for a series of short breaks.
  • To be looked after for a short time with a plan for you to return to your parents or other family members.
  • To be looked after on a long-term basis either with foster carers, kinship carers or in a residential placement.
Will I see my family?

You have a right to see your family.  Your social worker can help you keep in touch with your family, known as “contact”.  Contact can be through face-to-face meetings, as well as letters and phone conversations. You should share your wishes in terms of contact with your social worker.

Where possible, contact should be regular and reliable. If contact becomes challenging or difficult to arrange, your social worker should be able to sort this out.

Unfortunately, we cannot make any promises about seeing your parents and other members of your family.  If contact is seen as unsafe, court can make decisions about who you see, how often and whether contact should be supervised. 
 In extreme cases, contact can be stopped altogether.  The court’s decision is written down and is known as a “care order”.

You can choose not to have contact, however it is your social worker’s duty to let your family know how you are doing.

Last updated: 23 February 2023