Looked After Children

We use the term ‘looked after’ when we arrange for children to live away from their families, either as part of a voluntary arrangement under the 1989 Children Act, or as the result of a care order under the 1989 Children Act. Sometimes this will be for a short break and sometimes for a longer period of time. The length of time will depend upon the child’s needs and the family circumstances. Parents continue to have responsibility for their children while they are away from home but this responsibility is shared with Social Services if the child is subject to a Care Order.

Why are children looked after?

Children can be looked after for all sorts of reasons. For example:

a parent may be unable to continue caring for them
they may be at risk of harm and need to move to a safer place
a parent may be ill or may need to go into hospital and there is no other family members or friends available to look after them

Education of Looked After Children

Children and young people 'in public care' are also referred to as 'looked after children'. They are either:

On care orders made by a court, where the Local Authority will assume responsibility for the child, in most cases working with the child's family.
Or accommodated by the Local Authority with the parents agreement, where they are unable to provide for the child's welfare. In this case parents can resume care of their child at any time, and they retain full parental responsibility.

Find out more about the education of looked after children

What is foster care?

Should a child need to live away from home, foster care may be the answer. The child lives with a substitute family approved and selected by us. Parents continue to have responsibility for their children, and are encouraged to make decisions with Social Services about their children’s future.

During the time children are looked after by foster carers, we work closely with Education and Health to make sure that their needs are being met.

Throughout the children’s time in a foster home, parents will usually be encouraged to maintain regular contact with them. Everyone involved in the child’s care will do their best to help with this.

How are foster carers chosen?

Foster carers are carefully assessed and approved by Social Services for the placement of children and are registered with Social Services’ Family Placement Service.

In choosing foster carers, we look at all our available foster families and find the most suitable one for each child. If several children from one family need to be looked after we try to keep them together.

When is a child placed in residential care?

We always endeavour to place children with foster carers where possible. However, residential care is more suitable for some young people.