I’m in care – what to expect! » What does it mean to be “looked after”?

What does it mean to be “looked after”?

Links within this page:

» Why is Lambeth Council looking after me?
» How long will I be looked after?
» What about how I feel about being looked after?
» When can I see my family and friends?
» How will I know what is going to happen?
» My life story and memories

The words ‘looked after’ means that Lambeth Council has a say about where you live and what happens to you. Some people call this ‘being in care’. On this website we will use the words ‘looked after’.

You can be ‘looked after’ from when you are a baby anytime up until you are 18 years old. This is always different for each person and will depend on your circumstances. If you have a disability, you can be looked after up to the age of 19.

You can come into care in two different ways:

  1. A care order: the courts could have decided this
  2. Accommodated: your parents could have agreed this

What’s the difference?

Care Order - decision by the court:

At all times Lambeth Council and the courts have to make sure children are safe. They can make a decision for children to live away from home if they are worried about their safety. This is called a Care Order and is part of the law called the Children’s Act 1989.

When the court has made this decision, it is the job of your Social Worker to make sure you are well looked after, safe, and enjoy a good and happy childhood.

Your social worker will work with your family to make important decisions about your care including where you will live, where you will go to school and how often you will visit your family. It is your social worker’s job to make the final decisions about this to make sure it is the best thing for you. You should be involved in all of these decisions made about your life.

Accommodated: Agreed by your parents

Sometimes children and young people become looked after but are not on a Care Order. This is called being ‘accommodated’. This means that the Council are helping your parents to look after you. If this happens, your parents still make decisions about you, including where you live and where you go to school.

Why is Lambeth Council looking after me?

Sometimes children and young people are being looked after because people are worried that you were being hurt or at risk of being hurt if you were living with your parents.

There are lots of different reasons why children and young people are looked after!

If you are not sure why you are looked after, you can ask your social worker and they will be more than happy to talk to you about this.

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How long will I be looked after?

Sometimes children and young people only need to be looked after for a very short time. Sometimes this is a few days, a few weeks or a few months. Some children and young people are looked after for a much longer time, until they are 18. It depends why you are looked after and if it is safe for you to go home. If you don’t know how long you are going to be looked after you can talk to your Social worker or foster carer/key worker so that you know what is happening.

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What about how I feel about being looked after?

Going into care for the first time or moving into a new place can be very scary. There will be lots of new people to meet and you may be moving away from friends and family. You may be feeling angry, worried, confused or very sad. You are not alone – your Social Worker and new carer/key worker is there to talk to you and to keep you safe.

Moving away from your family can be a very hard thing to do – and you might not want to leave and might not think that you need to go. Sometimes a Court will make a decision that you will not agree with. This can make you feel very angry and confused. Your Social Worker will try to help you understand this. There are other people you can talk to if you think this might help.

Other things you can do when you feel angry or upset about being in care:

  • Speak to an advocate to help you to have your say
  • Talk to a friend, teacher, Social Worker, or other trusted adult
  • Speak to the mental health service for children looked after (CLAMHS)
  • Keep a diary
  • Write a letter to an adult that knows you and tell them how you are feeling
  • Ring a confidential helpline

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When can I see my family and friends?

We always want to make sure that you can keep in contact with your family, friends and carers where it is safe for you to do so.

Your Social Worker will talk to you about how and when you will see your family. You, your social worker and the people looking after you will decide together when, where and how you will keep in touch with your family and friends.

Your feelings and wishes will be listened to before this is decided.

You may be able to keep in contact with your family by:

  • Visiting them. Sometimes a trusted adult will need to be there with you to make sure you are safe at all times.
  • Writing letters to them. You may be able to send them photos and pictures too.
  • Talking on the phone.

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How will I know what is going to happen?

When you are looked after, your Social Worker will talk to you about what is going to happen and what Lambeth Council will do to look after you.

Your Social worker has to write down what everyone will do to help look after you. Your Social Worker will need to talk to you, your foster carer or key worker, your family, sometimes your teachers, and anyone else that is important in your life to do this. This is called a care plan.

It is very important that you have your say because the care plan is about you. You can have a copy of your care plan – if you don’t have a copy you can ask your Social Worker. You can talk to your Social Worker or carer if you don’t agree with the plan.

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My life story and memories

It is important that you know your history and the reasons why you are in care and not living with your family. WHY? Some children and young people cannot remember some of the special times in their lives such as starting school, riding a bike, when they started crawling and walking as a baby.

If you are not living with your family, it is much easier to forget these things.

We want to make sure that you remember all of the special times in your life.

Your Social Worker and Foster Carer/Key Workers will help you to do this by keeping a special album for you and maybe even a memory box to keep special items. This is called life story work.

You should have your say about how you would like to keep all of your special things like special photos, school ribbons or medals, baby clothes, something that was your mum or dad’s, your stories and drawings and favourite things, your holidays, photos of special people in your life, certificates and all sorts of other things. Anything that is special to YOU!

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