The experience of being looked after is highly
individual.
Some young people have been in the same foster or
residential home for as long as they can remember,
and many lead happy and stable lives.
Being looked after may bring the relief of being
safe and well cared for.
However, it usually involves adjusting to a new
home, perhaps a change of school, being uprooted
from a familiar neighbourhood and friends and coping
with complex emotions.
A looked after child or young person may
experience some or all of the following:
Sudden removal from home
Intrusive investigation, perhaps
including intimate medical examination
Fear of the unknown
Mourning the loss of a parent or
other family members and friends
Anxiety about the welfare of their
parents or other family members
Separation from brothers and sisters
Feelings of rejection
Frequent moves, perhaps with little
or no warning
Changes of school, and maybe periods
of non-attendance or not being on a school roll
Embarrassment at being ‘looked after’
or ‘in care’
The belief that teachers and
‘officials’ know all about you or that they don’t know
you at all
Feeling excluded from ‘normal’ family
life and opportunities
