Information for the public

Helping you to feel safe, secure and loved

Helping you to feel safe, secure and loved

Going into care or moving between placements can be a difficult and confusing time, but there are things that should happen that can help make it easier, like:

  • planning well ahead so that you and your carers are ready for the change and know what is happening and why (but if you need to be taken into care quickly this might not be possible)

  • making sure you and your carers can get to know each other before you go to live with them

  • making sure you can ask all the questions you need to and that you make your own choices whenever this is OK

  • knowing how you can get help and support if you need it, which might be:

    • a care worker coming to visit you and your carer to talk about how things are going

    • giving you the chance to talk to a therapist (someone who can help you talk about how you feel and why)

    • helping your carer help you, like teaching them ways how they can make you feel safer and more secure at home

  • keeping the same key worker for the whole time you are in care.

All about who you can live with, and where you lived before

If you are going into care, you might be able to live with a relative or friend. This is called kinship placement, and can be done if it's safe and will work best for you.

If you have brothers or sisters also going into care or already in care, you'll be kept together if that can be done.

If you are in care and your placement does not work out, your support team can help you stay in touch with your old carer when you move to your new placement. They will only do this if you want to though, and if everyone agrees to it.

Your support team will also make sure you don't feel cut off from the people and places from your life before you went into care. They can help you stay in touch and give you information about them.

  • Information Standard