Not feeling happy in care placements

When a young person is in care, it means that they are being looked after by the local authority. A young person in care might be living with other family members, with foster parents or in a children’s home or secure accommodation. Young people can be in care for lots of different reasons and each person’s situation is different. Most children in care are protected and live safely, however being away from your family can be very hard. Some young people do not have very good experiences in care.

If you are not happy in your placement, there are things that can be done – you can talk to your social worker about your options, or talk to the police if something has gone seriously wrong in your placement. If you contact a helpline or support forum then you will be able to talk through your feelings. Some helplines such as Runaway Helpline can help put you through to a social worker if you are struggling to reach yours, and maybe even be on a Three Way Call to give you that extra feeling of support.