Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

Anyone under the age of 16 has the right to have somewhere safe to live where their basic needs are met. When your parents aren’t able to take care of you, or it’s not safe for you to stay with them, social services may decide to move you somewhere else.

Being moved isn’t easy. But no matter what happens, it’s important to remember that you have the right to have a say about your care. It’s natural that you feel frustrated or angry if you’re not being listened to.

Sometimes you might not be allowed home for your own safety, even when you feel safe there and it’s where you want to be. This can even make some young people want to run away, but this can be even more unsafe.

When you feel like your voice isn’t being heard, it’s important to remember that you can get support. Every child and young person in care has the right to have an advocate. An advocate is someone who’s independent of social services and who is there to make sure your voice is being heard. You can read more about advocates on our living in care page.

One of the hardest parts of trying to change your situation is that it takes time. There can be lots of ways to handle your frustration though. You can always speak to a counsellor, who will offer you confidential and non-judgemental support. Coram Voice also offers advocacy for young people in care, so talking to them would be a way of making sure people like your social worker are listening.

If you don’t feel ready to talk, remember that you can visit our website any time. And if you need to distract yourself from your frustration, you could try using our creative tool, watching videos or playing some of our games. You can also use the message boards to get advice from other young people as well.

Take care,
Sam