‘I went into a children’s home with two of my brothers, but my other brothers and sisters went to different places. I kind of loved it in the children’s home. There was a TV, music box and pool room. I felt good and played with my brothers in the massive garden.’ Sarah, 18
Some teenagers who become looked after say they would rather be in a children’s home because they want to be around lots of other young people and to feel more independent.
Some children’s homes are also schools, so the children living there also learn there.
A children’s home is a house with adults in it (the staff) whose job it is to look after the children who live there. The staff don’t usually live there, but they take it in turns throughout the day and night (it’s called ‘doing shifts’) to come in and work at the children’s home. One member of the staff will be in charge of the home.
There might be one other child there, or lots of other children, but usually there are less than 10 children all together.
There will be rules which the adults and children must all live by.
One of the staff members will be your key worker. This person will work closely with you to help you get the most out of your time in residential care. He or she will be someone you can talk to if you need any help or advice. Your key worker is a bit similar to a foster carer – they will care about you and want to build a good relationship with you.
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