Residential Care for Children

Children's Services

Please note: The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham currently have no children's homes in the borough. We will always ensure that any children who are looked after by us are placed in suitable family setting as identical to their own as possible.

Residential Care for Children/Children's Homes are there to ensure that the needs of children are met when they cannot live with their own family or are not suitable to be placed with an adoptive family. They are a place for children to develop and grow, as well as providing food, shelter, and space for play and leisure in a caring environment. Children's Homes look after children with many different needs.

When children and young people come to live in a Children's Home they will have a Care Plan. Their Care Plan says why a child is living in a home, what is supposed to happen while they are living there and what is supposed to happen at the end of their stay.

Most children will go home, but a few go to live with other families and a few go to live in other homes. Older children who are not planning to return home, are given help to prepare them for living on their own - this is called Aftercare.

Education is important. Children go to their own school if they have a school place, or we help to get them back into school.

It is very important that children and young people stay in touch with their family and friends. It is only when they might be hurt, or a Court Order says that contact is not allowed, that some children will not be able to have visits from their family or will not be able to visit them.

Children and young people are respected as individuals. By providing for their religious and cultural needs children are encouraged to keep their sense of personal identity and community.

Eligibility for the service

Children and young people have to live away from their own families for all sorts of reasons. These include:

Their parents are unwell
They have problems with their family and need to spend some time away from home, e.g. behaviour problems or educational difficulties
They may have a disability and need a break from living with their families
They are in the care of local authority subject on a Court Order or an Interim Care Order; and
Generally, when children and young people need to live away from their families, they will stay with foster carers. It is only when Foster care is either not possible or not desirable accommodation or may not be what the young person would choose

In all cases, we make sure that all the alternatives are fully considered before recommending residential care.

Contact

Barking and Dagenham Placement Service

512a Heathway

Dagenham

RM10 7SJ

Tel: 020 8227 5822 during office hours, 8.30am - 4.30pm.

Tel: 020 8227 5949 outside office hours (answerphone).

Fax: 020 8227 5998

Email: fostering@lbbd.gov.uk|