Get Help

There are lots of reasons why children and young people come into care. No two stories are the same, and each person’s experience in care is different too. We’re here to listen to your story, and to help you get the support you need. One of the key ways we do that is by offering you the chance to have a VOYPIC Advocate – someone who’ll speak up for you and act on your behalf.

Being in Care

Life is complicated and sometimes families just need help to make sure that children are looked after properly.

You have the right to live with your parents – unless it’s better for you not to, at least for a while. This is something a judge decides in court. Being in care just means you’re not living with your parents. It may be for a short time or a bit longer – until the situation at home can be sorted out. Because your safety and welfare come first.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) Article 9
Children must not be separated from their parents against their will unless it is in their best interests (for example, if a parent is hurting or neglecting a child).

Your Care Plan

When you first come into care, your social worker will create something called a Care Plan for you.

This will include information about where you’ll live, where you go to school, notes about your health and wellbeing and so on. It will also set out how you can keep in touch with your family.

Where will you live?

There are several types of care:

Kinship Care

When you first come into care, your social worker will create something called a Care Plan for you. This will include information about where you’ll live, where you go to school, notes about your health and wellbeing and so on. It will also set out how you can keep in touch with your family.

Foster Care

Foster carers are people who aren’t related to you but are trained in how to care for children and young people in their home.

Sometimes you might stay with temporary foster carers until a more long-term place to live is agreed.

Children’s Home

This is a house where children live together, looked after by adults who work in the home. If you live in a children’s home, you’ll have a staff member called a ‘keyworker’ who’s there to help you with any problems and answer any questions.

Review Meetings

Your Care Plan is regularly reviewed and updated at a Review Meeting. At this meeting adults involved in your care – like your foster/kinship carer, your keyworker, your social worker, your parents, your teacher, etc. – come together to talk about how care is going for you.

You have the right to go to your Review Meetings too. You’re free to say what you want to happen, and for your wishes to be taken seriously.

Your first Review Meeting will be no later than two weeks after you go into care. The second will be three months after that, and then at least every six months.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) Article 12
Every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously.

Things that’ll be discussed at a Review Meeting:

your
health

your
education

your hobbies
& interests

your emotional
wellbeing

where you live

when you see
your family

We’ve a document that explains the standards you can expect from us in meetings about your care.

You can find out more here:

Moving on from Care

Eventually you’ll move on from living in care. To help you prepare for this, you’ll have a personal adviser who will work with you and your social worker to come up with a Pathway Plan. This plan will set out the help and support you need for:

your health and development
education, training or employment
family support or other relationships
financial needs
practical skills for independent living
care, support and accommodation.

Advocates

Going into care can be confusing and maybe even a bit frightening. We understand, and we’re here to help.

One of the ways we do that is by providing a qualified person who’s on your side to speak up for you and act on your behalf. We call that person an advocate.

Our Advocates support young people in care, care leavers, young people in Beechcroft CAMHS Unit and Iveagh Centre, and young people new to NI through the Together We Thrive programme.