I was delighted to visit a residential children’s care home in Lancaster this week to meet the staff and young people during an open day for the public to come and chat, win raffle prizes from local small businesses – and eat plenty home-made cake!

Care Home Open Week shines a light on the incredible work and value of social care. Sunday 2nd July is also Thank You Day, recognising the work done by Britain’s unsung carers.

Children’s Social Care is an often-overlooked and misunderstood part of our social care system, supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our society. There are a variety of reasons why children and young people enter care:

• The child’s parents might have agreed to this – for example, if they are too unwell to look after their child or if their child has a disability and needs respite care.
• The child could be an unaccompanied asylum seeker, with no responsible adult to care for them.
• Children’s services may have intervened because they felt the child was at significant risk of harm. If this is the case the child is usually the subject of a court-made legal order.

In a very welcoming balloon-adorned home on a residential street, I was privileged to be invited in to speak with the staff who support four very enthusiastic and happy young people in their care, who were also keen to show off their amazing artwork, baking, and creativity, as well as talk to me about their favourite subjects at school and show me photos of all the great activities they do.

On the walls there were smiling photos of all the children who have been supported in the home over the years. It was fantastic to think about how these dedicated support workers have touched the lives of so many vulnerable young people, helping them to access education, encourage them to develop skills and confidence, provide meaningful daily activities and trips out, all while giving them a safe and supportive home and guiding them into adulthood.

Children’s homes are such special places that can offer children who need it most the security and stability to be kids. I’d like to say a massive thank you and recognise the value and importance of the work all our children’s social care workers do!