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I’m not happy in care


Being away from family and friends can be difficult. Having to try to fit in with other people as well can make this harder. You may feel isolated or like you don’t fit in. If you have moved placements, things can feel a lot stricter, you might not get on with the other people there or you might feel that the staff don’t listen to you. All of these reasons can make you feel isolated and make things worse.

If you have tried to explain your feelings to your carers and still feel that nothing has been done, another option for you would be to talk to an advocacy service. Advocacy means someone talking on your behalf to the people who can hopefully make changes for you. This will obviously depend on the situation, but knowing you have someone on your side can often make things feel a bit better. Advocates are trained in this line of support and can often phrase things in ways that get your point of view across better. There are also support services that are run by care leavers who have had first-hand experience of what you are going through, so speaking with them can help.

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The Runaway Helpline can only provide services to children and young people within the United Kingdom, and information and advice on this site relates to the UK only.

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