What is a residential children's home?

In this blog, you will learn:

• What a residential children’s home is and who they are for.

• Reasons why children go into residential homes.

• How long a child can live in a residential home.

• The difference between foster, kinship care and a residential children’s home.

• Where the latest children's residential home jobs are and how to apply for them.

According to GovUK, as of 31st March 2025, there are 4,010 children’s homes of all types across the UK, a 15% increase from the previous year. Capacity has also grown, with 15,700 registered places available, up 9% from March 2024.

The rising numbers reflect a growing need for safe, stable environments for children who cannot remain at home. As young people enter care, understanding the role of residential children’s homes and how they support those with the most complex needs has never been more important.

In our latest blog, we explore what a residential children’s home is and the essential support it provides to children and young people.

What is a residential children's home? Who are they for?

A residential children’s home provides a stable environment when family care is not an option. Short-term crisis placements can be used when a child needs to move away from home quickly, such as during an emergency, making residential children’s homes an effective temporary option. 

For children with severe disabilities or complex needs, residential homes can provide round-the-clock care that their birth family may be unable to provide. This can include appropriate support for severe physical or learning difficulties or complex medical conditions.

Some residential homes specialise in providing a ‘trauma-informed’ environment and therapeutic support to help children heal from past experiences, such as abuse, neglect or family breakdown.

The number of children per residential home varies with most new homes being smaller, often to provide a higher staff-to-child ratio for children needing more support. Many newly registered children's homes have less available places and are often used when a higher level of support or a better staff ratio is needed.

Why do children go into residential homes?

Children and young people can go into residential care for several reasons. A residential children’s home might be part of an intended or original care plan, or deemed by an inspector and registered manager to be well-matched to the child.

Some children enter a children’s home because of some form of interruption in their previous care such as foster or adoption placement breakdown or family breakdown.

They may also enter the care system if they are at risk of sexual or criminal exploitation, or if their parent or carer is unable to provide safe care due to issues such as mental ill health.

Alternatively, the move to a children’s home might be an emergency move because of sudden events at home or in another care replacement. Some children also enter residential care if other placements have ended or have been unsuitable.

The need for care is based on a child’s wellbeing and best interests when home-based support is not enough. Residential homes are prioritised in cases where a child has complex emotional or mental health needs, a disability requiring specialist support, or in situations where a local authority has an urgent need for an emergency placement or provision.

How long can a child live in a residential home?

Under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989, a local authority is legally required to provide accommodation for a child in need when there is no one with parental responsibility, the child has been abandoned or is lost, or their caregiver is unable to offer safe and suitable care.

A child in residential care can remain in the home until they turn 18, at which point a care order ends. However, depending on their circumstances and the local authority’s policies, a child or young person may be able to stay beyond 18 under support arrangements such as ‘staying put’ or ‘staying close.’

Young people who are in care on or after their 16th birthday have a legal right to ‘stay put’ or stay with their carers (foster families or residential care) until they are 21, if they want to and are settled.

Some councils receive government funding to help young people live in supported housing near their former children’s home after they leave care. This is known as ‘staying close’ and allows local authorities to continue to safeguard and promote the young person’s welfare.

The court can end a care order before a child’s 18th birthday or if parental responsibility is transferred to someone else through adoption or special guardianship. Until the care order ends, the local authority remains responsible for the child’s welfare and must carry out regular reviews to ensure their needs are being met.

How does residential care differ from foster or kinship care?

A local authority determines the most appropriate placement through a formal care needs assessment, which identifies the level and type of support each child requires. Children are first offered kinship care, followed by foster care, with residential care used only as a last resort.

Kinship care is when a child lives full time or most of the time with a relative or close family friend because their parents aren’t able to care for them. The local authority will first try to place the child with a relative or friend after an assessment to ensure the placement is safe and stable.

Kinship care usually offers the least disruptive and most suitable option for a child or young person and often leads to better outcomes than other types of care.

Foster care involves living with foster parents or a foster family and is prioritised for children whose needs cannot be met at home and who are at risk of significant harm. It provides a stable, family-based environment where children can receive consistent care, emotional support and guidance tailored to their individual needs.

Residential care providers typically prioritise care when a child or young person's needs cannot be safely or adequately met in their own home, even with support from family or home-based carers. Residential care homes ensure that children have the opportunity to work with others and receive home-like support.

Living in a group setting with other peers and trained staff can help young people develop important skills such as confidence, stability and connection, as well as support their social, emotional, and developmental needs.

Children's residential home recruitment specialists

As specialist recruiters, we support children's residential homes nationwide with their temporary, interim and permanent staffing needs. We supply experienced professionals across multiple roles including support workers, team leaders and registered managers to ensure safe, high-quality care for children and young people.

If you're struggling to recruit the right talent, simply request a call back and one of our experienced recruiters will contact you to discuss how we can help. 

Looking for your next children's residential home job? Either search the latest jobs or upload your CV and one of our consultants will be in touch when a suitable opportunity arises.