Whether you already live here, or you’re just finding out about us, this page is for you.
It’s here to help you understand what living here is like, how things work, and how we support you to feel safe, listened to, and cared for — in ways that make sense for you.
Everyone is different, and that’s okay. We try to understand what you need, what matters to you, and how to help you feel settled and supported, now and in the future
Moving into a new home can feel like a big step, especially when everything is unfamiliar. We hope this video gives you a feel for what it’s like inside our homes. It’s just a small glimpse but we hope it makes things feel a bit more familiar.
So we’ve tried our best to provide as many answers as we can.
We hope so. We know moving into care can feel strange or scary at first, and we would not expect you to feel settled straight away. Over time, we want this to feel like a safe, warm place where you can relax, be yourself and feel cared about.
Yes. You’ll have your own bedroom, and people will respect your space and privacy. Sometimes people want company and sometimes they need quiet time, both are okay.
That’s okay too. Moving somewhere new can feel awkward, upsetting or annoying at first. We will go at your pace and keep supporting you while things settle.
Yes. Your bedroom is your own space to sleep, relax and have privacy.
Definitely. We want your room to feel like your space. You can bring important things with you and help choose decorations, bedding, colours and more.
Usually, yes. Everyone needs privacy sometimes. Adults might check you are okay now and then if they are worried about you, but they will do this respectfully.
Not usually. Your belongings and privacy matter. Adults would only check your things if there was a serious safety worry, and they should explain why.
You can keep personal belongings in your room, and if there’s anything really valuable or important, we can help you keep it safe by either giving you a lockable cupboard in your room or keeping it safe on your behalf.
It’s understandable if it feels strange at first. Some young people say things like “you’re only here because it’s your job,” especially when trusting adults has felt difficult before.
We usually say “adults” rather than “staff” because this is your home. The adults work in your home – you do not live in their work.
Many of the adults have stayed working in our homes for a long time because relationships matter to them, and because they genuinely care about the young people who live here. We hope that over time, through everyday life and relationships, you’ll begin to feel that the people here genuinely care about you as a person, not just because it’s their job.
The adults here are the people you’ll see every day — sharing meals, supporting you, spending time with you and helping the house feel calm, safe and lived in. Over time, we hope they’ll start to feel like familiar and trusted people in your life.
We really try to. We want to understand what is going on for you, including the feelings underneath difficult moments.
That can happen sometimes when people live together. We won’t expect everyone to click instantly. We’ll help people talk things through, sort problems safely and make sure you feel supported.
Yes. You can talk to the adults in the home, your social worker, advocate, therapist or someone else you trust. There will always be an adult available in the home if you need someone.
When you move in, you’ll also be given a Children’s Guide which includes important information, helpful contacts and details of independent people you can speak to if you ever want advice, support or someone outside of the home to talk to.
You don’t have to deal with difficult feelings on your own.
That is okay. We’ll respect your boundaries and go at your pace.
Some young people do want hugs, comfort or reassurance from trusted adults, especially when they’re upset, overwhelmed or just need to feel close to someone safe. The good news is we love a cuddle here! We believe comfort, care and human connection are important parts of feeling secure and cared for.
We want food here to feel enjoyable and homely. We try to provide good quality meals with plenty of choice and variety, including healthy foods, favourite meals, snacks, treats and things people genuinely look forward to eating.
We’ll always take into account allergies, culture, religion, sensory needs and foods you really hate too. There’ll also be opportunities for takeaways, eating out and celebrating special occasions together.
Yes. You can help plan meals, shop, bake or cook if you want to. Some young people love it, some don’t — both are fine.
That depends on the day and on you. Some people want to chill quietly, others want to talk, play games, go out, exercise, cook or spend time together. Evenings are usually pretty relaxed. Both our homes have massive gardens so we enjoy spending evenings outside in the warm, summer months.
Absolutely. We’ll always do our best to support the hobbies, clubs, sports, interests and activities that already matter to you, while also encouraging you to try new experiences and develop new interests, if you want to.
We want young people to have fun, make memories, build confidence and experience as much of life as possible. That might mean days out, holidays, adventures, trying new activities or even travelling abroad sometimes — we don’t think being in care should limit your opportunities.
That’s completely okay. Everyone needs different things at different times, and there’s no pressure to always join in or be social. Sometimes people just need quiet time, space or a chance to recharge. There’s no rush and will always be plenty of opportunities for fun.
Sometimes, yes. Being in the countryside means we’re lucky enough to have large gardens and outdoor space, and some young people really enjoy helping to care for animals.
Over the years we’ve had things like rabbits and chickens, and adults will often bring their dogs to the home too. Animals can bring a lot of comfort, fun and calm to everyday life here. If there are pets in the home, we’ll always make sure you know before moving in.
Usually, yes. We’ll support you to attend school, college or other education that’s right for you. We know education can shape confidence, opportunities and future goals, but we also understand that everyone’s journey with learning is different.
The adults around you will work together to help you feel supported, settled and able to do your best — whatever that looks like for you.
School is hard for lots of young people for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes it can feel stressful, overwhelming, exhausting or like it just hasn’t worked for you in the past.
We’ll try to really understand your experiences of education and the kind of learning environment that helps you feel safest, most confident and able to do well. We’ll work closely with you and the important people around you to do everything we can to make sure learning — whether in or outside of school — works in the best way possible for you.
Of course. The adults in the home can help with homework, revision, organisation, coursework or even just sitting alongside you while you get things done.
Sometimes support is about explaining work, and sometimes it’s just about having someone nearby who encourages you, helps you stay calm and believes in you when things feel difficult.
Big feelings are okay. The adults here will try to stay calm, listen and help you feel safe and supported.
Feelings themselves are never “bad.” What matters is helping everyone stay safe and finding ways through difficult moments together.
Missing people you care about is completely normal. Relationships matter deeply, and we understand that moving can bring a lot of mixed emotions, including sadness, worry, guilt or missing people and places that are important to you.
We’ll support you with those feelings and, where possible and safe, help you stay connected to the people who matter in your life.
That is okay. Trust takes time. We won’t force it, we will just keep showing up and getting to know you
Yes. Every home has rules and routines to help people feel safe, respected and cared for.
We will talk things through and try to understand what happened. We believe in repair and learning, not punishment.
Keeping young people safe is one of the most important parts of our role. There will always be adults around to support, guide and look after the people living in the home, while also helping the house feel calm, predictable and cared for.
We also work closely with social workers, schools, therapists, health professionals and other important people in your life so that the adults around you can understand you properly and help keep you safe in ways that feel thoughtful and supportive, not just restrictive.
You can always talk to someone about it. Your feelings and opinions matter, and adults should listen properly.
This depends on your age and what helps keep you safe. Adults will talk with you about this and explain any rules clearly.
Lots of young people enjoy gaming, YouTube, social media and being online, and we understand these things can be a big part of life, friendships and fun.
At the same time, we know the online world can sometimes expose young people to unsafe people, harmful content, pressure, bullying or things that affect emotional wellbeing. Because of this, we help young people use technology in ways that are safe, balanced and right for their age and needs.
Adults in the home will help create plans around phones, apps, gaming and internet use that are personalised to you. We’ll always try to explain decisions honestly and involve you in conversations about online safety, rather than just making rules without talking to you about them.
Where it’s safe and part of your plans, we’ll always support you to spend time with the people who are important to you. We know that relationships and connections matter deeply, and that the people you care about are part of your story, your identity and your sense of belonging.
We know moving somewhere new can bring lots of different feelings, so we’ll try to make your first day feel as calm and welcoming as possible. We’ll show you around, introduce you to people, help you settle into your room and explain things in a way that hopefully doesn’t feel too overwhelming.
There’ll be time to unpack, ask questions, get comfortable and start getting familiar with the home and the people around you. You’ll also get “chooser’s rights” for tea on your first day, so you can pick your favourite meal or takeaway.
Usually the adults who will be around day to day and helping you settle in. We know meeting new people can feel awkward or nerve-wracking at first, so we’ll try not to overload you with too much all at once
Where possible, we’ll also try to make sure you’ve already visited the home and met the adults before moving in, so things feel more familiar and you know a bit more about what to expect.
We think it’s really important that you have time to visit first, have tea, look around, meet people and plan things gradually. Other times, situations can be a little more urgent and things can happen more quickly.
Whatever the situation, we’ll try to help you feel as prepared, informed and supported as possible.
That is different for everyone. While you are here, this is your home.
When the time comes to move on, we’ll help you prepare for what’s next and support you through the change. We know saying goodbye and moving can bring up lots of feelings, and we won’t expect you to just deal with that on your own.
We’ll also advocate for you and make sure the adults involved in planning your future are taking the right steps, at the right time, to help you move into adulthood with the support, opportunities and stability you deserve.
Even after young people move on, relationships and memories often remain important, and we understand that those connections matter.
Yes. Your views, wishes and feelings matter and should be part of decisions about your life.
We’ll always try to involve you in conversations about the home, your plans, your routines and the things that affect you. Your voice still matters and deserves to be properly listened to.
You can always speak up. Adults should take your worries and ideas seriously.
Tell an adult you trust as soon as you can. You do not have to deal with difficult or unsafe feelings on your own.
The adults in the home can help, and you can also have an advocate — an independent person whose role is to help you share your views, understand your rights and make sure your voice is heard.
Your Children’s Guide will also include contact details for advocates and other independent people you can speak to if needed.
