What Is a House Meeting?
A house meeting is a regular, structured group session that brings together children and staff to:
- Share updates about routines, changes, or upcoming events
- Address any emerging group dynamics or interpersonal challenges
- Reinforce shared values such as respect, safety, and kindness
- Celebrate progress, birthdays, and achievements
- Invite feedback or suggestions from children on their living environment
House meetings are typically held weekly or fortnightly, depending on the home’s size and the needs of the children.
The Therapeutic Purpose of House Meetings
In trauma-informed residential care, house meetings help children:
- Feel seen, heard, and valued in a group setting
- Learn how to express concerns or preferences safely
- Understand house expectations and boundaries
- Practice social skills, patience, and empathy
- Observe respectful adult modelling and repair processes
Staff, in turn, gain insight into group dynamics, emotional undercurrents, and areas that may require additional keywork or individual support.
Professional Facilitation
House meetings are co-facilitated by key staff (often the Registered Manager or Deputy) and designed to:
- Be developmentally appropriate (e.g., visual aids for younger children)
- Encourage full participation without pressure
- Prevent individual children from being singled out
- Avoid unsafe or escalating conversations
- Reinforce psychological safety and containment
Professionals should be alert to:
- Hidden dynamics (e.g., triangulation, exclusion, masking)
- Children struggling to engage (which may signal wider concerns)
- Disclosures or grievances requiring follow-up
Topics Typically Covered
Housekeeping
Changes to routines, visitors, planned repairs
Celebrations
Birthdays, school achievements, awards
Feedback Requests
Menu ideas, activity suggestions, room preferences
Social Dynamics
Praise for kindness, discussing group conflict (safely)
Safeguarding Themes
Consent, privacy, respect, phone rules (presented accessibly)
Cultural Identity
Discussing holidays, food, language, religious accommodations
Meetings are not for punishment. They are protective spaces for empowerment and voice.
Follow-Up and Accountability
What’s said in a house meeting doesn’t stay in the meeting — it should lead to:
- Actioned changes (where appropriate)
- Follow-up 1:1 keywork for children who raised concerns
- Reflective supervision for staff if themes arise (e.g., boundary issues)
- Clear documentation in the home’s records
Children must see that their voice leads to change, or they will stop using it.
When House Meetings Go Wrong
Professionals should recognise signs that house meetings may be dysfunctional:
- Tokenistic use (“just for Ofsted”)
- Children appearing anxious, silent, or angry
- Staff dominating or ignoring feedback
- Disclosures being left unaddressed
- Language used to shame or label