There are lots of reasons why children go into care. It may be because your parents aren’t able to care for you properly at the moment, or they may have died or be in another country, or it could be because it isn’t safe for you to stay at home. Someone at home may be neglecting you or causing you emotional harm, or they may not be able to look after you properly, or to protect you.
Sometimes it may be because they have hurt you or allowed someone else to hurt you. This could be physical harm (like beating you) or sexual abuse.
When children become looked after, it’s a really big decision for people like social workers and the courts. They have to be as sure as they can be about what is best for you. They should talk to you and to other members of your family to help them decide what is best, although sometimes they need to make a decision quickly if they think you aren’t safe at home.
Young people are only taken into care when people are really worried that you are suffering, or are likely to suffer serious harm from the way you are being looked after by your parents.
If it’s decided that the best thing for you is to become looked after, you will go to live somewhere else with people who can look after you and care for you properly. It might be for a little while or for a long time. It will depend on how your parents are doing and whether social workers think things have changed enough at home for it to be ok for you to go back.
Your social worker will keep checking on what's happening at home and try to help things get better so you can return home. Sometimes this may happen quite quickly, while for other children it may take a long time. Some young people will stay looked after for all their childhood until they are old enough to live on their own.
If you have any questions about why you are in care and what will happen to you, do ask your social worker or carer - they are there to help and to explain things to you.
Meanwhile, try to make the most of your stay and try your best not to worry about what's going to happen. There are lots of other young people who are looked after that you can talk to and who can be your friend - they are going through the same thing as you.
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