Where you will live

Foster care or residential home (you will also hear this be called a ‘Placement’)

What can you expect?

A safe home with a foster carer or in a residential home (a shared home with other young people in care). You will have your own bedroom, or a shared bedroom if you live with a brother or sister and want to share. Your foster carer, or support workers if you are in a residential home, are responsible for looking after you and helping you with what you need day-to-day.

You will have a meeting when you first move in (called a Placement Planning Meeting) so you know what you can expect from your foster carer or residential support worker and what is expected of you. For example, Will I have my own key? When will I be given pocket money? What are the house rules?

It is important that you go to this meeting to ask any questions you have and to give your views.

Information about your foster carer
You will get some information and pictures which will tell you more about your foster family and the house where you will live.

A memory book
Whoever looks after you is responsible for keeping a book of memories called a ‘Life Story Book’. It will have pictures and information about important events in your life. You should be involved in putting this book together, so you have what you want in there.

If you need to move to a different placement
We will always try to keep you in one home while you are in care but if you do need to move for any reason we will make sure this is planned properly. Sometimes moving home might also mean you need to move to a different school which is near to your new home. We will give you lots of support if this happens. We will also make sure you have a suitcase and other suitable packing materials to move your belongings safely. If you do not have a suitcase speak to your foster carer or social worker.

Staying with your foster carer after age 18 (called ‘Staying Put’)
If you, your carer and your social worker agree that the best thing is for you to stay living with your foster carer after you turn 18, you will be given the option to stay until you are 21. You will be given other options of where to live before this decision is made.

Semi-Independent Accommodation (if you are age 16 or over)

What can you expect?

Some young people live in ‘Semi-Independent Accommodation’ which is a home in a shared house or group of single flats with support workers (or they might be called ‘keyworkers’) who will either live there too, or be there for certain times of the day. Your keyworker will help you settle in and support you with your day-to-day needs and with any problems you may have. They will also help you to learn skills to live independently for example cooking and learning how to manage your money.
You will have you own room and your own key but may share a bathroom or a kitchen with other young people.

REMEMBER – If you are unhappy with where you are living or with any of the plans being made for you please talk to someone. We cannot help if we do not know about the problem. Speak to your social worker or use the GET HELP page.