Durham Safeguarding Children Partnership

DSCP logo
You are here: Home / Children and Young People / Children in Our Care

Children in Our Care

Lifelong Links – building lasting relationships
 

A child who has been in the care of their local authority for more than 24 hours is known as a child in care.

Children in care are also often referred to as Looked after children, however the term used in Durham in Children in care which many children and young people prefer.

Many children in care have experienced abuse, neglect or other forms of trauma.

It’s important that children in care are provided with the care and support they need to be healthy and safe, have the same opportunities as their friends or people the same age group and move successfully into adulthood.

Types of care

Each UK nation has a slightly different definition of a child in our care and follows its own set of rules, policy, and guidance.  But in general, children in care are:

  • living with foster parents/carers
  • living with friends or relatives, through kinship foster care. (Private fostering)
  • living in a residential children’s home
  • living in residential settings like schools, secure units or semi-independent living accommodation.

A child stops being in local authority care when they are adopted, return home or turn 18.  However, local authorities in all of the UK are required to support children leaving care at 18 until they are at least 21.  This may involve them continuing to live with their foster family.

Care leavers – our local offer for you – Durham County Council

Not all children in the care of someone other than their parents have ‘looked after’ status.  For example, they may be in private fostering arrangement or cared for under a special guardianship order.

Private Fostering arrangement are arrangements made directly between the parent(s) and the relative, friend or connected person, without the involvement of the local authority.  However, there is a duty under this arrangement for the local authority to assess this situation (Private fostering – Durham County Council).

Special guardianship is when a local authority places a child or young person to live with someone other than their parent(s) on a long-term basis.  It aims to provide more security than long-term fostering for children where adoption is not the best option.

 

Reasons children are in care

There are a variety of reasons why children and young people enter care:

  • Children’s services may have supported the family as they felt the child was at significant risk of harm. If this is the case, the child is usually the subject of a court-made legal order.
  • The child’s parents might have agreed to this – for example, if they are too unwell to look after their child or if their child has a disability and needs respite care.
  • The child could have been lost, abandoned or there may be no one with parental responsibility available to care for them; as is the case for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.
  • The child may have been charged with a criminal offence and temporarily placed on remand (to send someone accused of committing a crime away from court until their trial begins) in the care of the local authority.

Resources: