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North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership

Residential care for children and young people

Residential care provides accommodation and support to safeguard children and young people. This can be either short or long term.

As a corporate parent, we have a legal duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.

Children and young people may be looked after in residential care when:

  • family crisis occurs
  • there is abuse or neglect in the parental home
  • the child or young person requires special care because of disabilities
  • the child or young person is involved in offending behaviour
  • parents are unable to provide care as a result of substance misuse

Children’s Hearings and the Sheriff Court can make legal orders that we must look after children and young people within a residential setting. Or parents, in partnership with us, can agree that it would be in a child or young person’s best interests for them to be in residential care.

Residential houses

We have four children and young people’s residential houses in North Ayrshire. These are safe, homely environments, staffed by trained residential workers.

The children and young people who live in our residential units are:

  • between the ages of 10 and 18+
  • attend local schools and colleges

Each child has an individual care plan which aims to improve their outcomes.

Residential schools

A residential school provides residential care as well as on-site education.

Most residential schools are run by voluntary or private sector organisations and cater for children and young people with complex disabilities or behavioural problems.

Contact us

To find out how we can help, please get in touch: