Children enter residential care for many reasons, neglect, trauma, family breakdown, or complex behavioural needs. Whatever their background, the goal of a children’s home is not just to keep them safe, but to help them heal, grow, and regain trust in others.
At Welcare, emotional support in children’s homes is at the heart of everything we do.
Key Worker Support
very child is matched with a dedicated key worker, an adult who becomes their main point of contact, advocate, and support throughout their placement. The key worker:
- Builds a strong, trusting relationship with the child.
- Helps the child understand and contribute to their care plan.
- Supports daily routines, emotional regulation, and behaviour.
- Attends reviews and advocates for the child’s wishes and feelings.
- Offers one-on-one time to talk through worries, fears, and goals.
Key workers are the consistent adults that children learn to rely on.
Therapeutic Support
Children in care often carry hidden wounds. Whether it’s loss, abuse, or attachment trauma, healing requires more than good intentions—it requires skill and structure.
Welcare provides access to:
- Play therapy and art therapy.
- Trauma-informed behavioural support.
- Emotional regulation plans and sensory strategies.
- Regular therapeutic sessions (where needed, via in-house or external providers)
- Therapeutic parenting models such as PACE and DDP.
In some homes, we offer full therapeutic placements, integrating clinical support into daily routines. These are especially helpful for children with high levels of emotional need.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
We work closely with CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and local therapists to ensure each child’s mental health is assessed and supported. Children also receive help with:
- Anxiety and panic.
- Depression or low mood.
- Self-harm or suicidal thoughts.
- Sleep issues and nightmares.
- Body image, gender identity, and personal safety
Welcare staff are trained to spot early signs of distress and offer non-judgmental, proactive help.
Day-to-Day Emotional Support
Sometimes, it’s the small things that make a big difference:
- Having someone there when they wake up from a nightmare.
- Talking after a difficult phone call with a parent.
- Support after a tough day at school.
- Learning how to name and regulate big emotions.
We embed emotional support in everything, from mealtimes to bedtime routines. Our homes are designed to feel like safe, stable places where children can be themselves.
Building Resilience and Coping Skills
Children are also supported to develop long-term coping strategies through:
- Life story work
- Journaling, creative expression, and safe risk-taking
- Confidence-building activities and achievement celebration
- Social skills development and peer interaction support
The aim isn’t just to “manage behaviour”, it’s to help children understand themselves and their worth.
Want to learn more about therapeutic approaches in care?