What you need to know about residential care

The majority of children who cannot live with their families of origin usually enter the foster care system. They then live with other families until they can go back home, or on a long-term basis until they come of age.

However, some of these children live in residential care. Here, we’ll look at the difference between foster care and residential care, and how you as a foster carer can help a young person transition to living with a foster family.

What is residential care?

Residential homes are larger than foster homes, and are run by a group of staff members. They usually supervise the young people on a shift basis, rather than taking up residency overnight or on a long-term basis.

All of the children attend the same school, and there are set mealtimes. They have their own rooms, which they can personalise, and are assigned key workers, who support them to make the most of their time in residential living.

Who is residential care for?

Children in care might go to residential care as opposed to a foster family if they prefer to be surrounded by groups of people, or cannot settle with a new family because they’re too attached to their family of origin. Their previous home may even have been damaged through flooding or a fire.

Helping a child to transition to living in foster care

When taking in a child who previously lived in residential care, it’s important to get to know them and keep them informed in the process, so that they feel involved and not out of control. Also ensure that they remain in contact with their friends and key workers at the home, to retain a degree of familiarity.