This report is to highlight the impact residential care has on young children
3.1
What is Residential Care?
Residential Care is care provided for old or sick people or children in a residential faculty. Children in care is also referred to as a looked after child. A looked after child is someone under 18, lives away from their parents or family. There are different legal rules a young person’s parents can still have parental responsibility or if they are subject to a care order the responsibility is shared between the parents and the local council.
3.2
Support for children in Residential Care
The biggest majority of kids who are placed in residential care do so because of a dysfunctional family, neglect or abuse. It is often a traumatic time and making sure there is correct resources in place to help with the transition from home life to being in the care home.
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There are currently 93,000 children in care with over 60% of children in care are looked after due to abuse and neglect, children in care are 4 times more likely than their peers to have a mental health difficulty (nspcc.org.uk 2016).
3.4
Why children in care are more vulnerable
A number of kids in care are kept safe from harm, although a small percentage are still at risk of neglect or abuse. Children enter care for a variety of reasons, but most enter because they have been neglected or abused. These past experiences can leave the children with mental health and emotional needs, which can leave them more vulnerable to further abuse. Many of these children also move between placements and are in and out of care. This can stop them forming relationships with adults who could protect them.
3.5
Stigma attached to Residential Care
Almost half of children in care fear being stigmatised because of their background, according to a report by the children’s right director for England.
3.6
Leaving