Children become 'Looked After' when their birth parents are unable to provide ongoing care for them, either in the short or long term. These children may be placed with other family members, friends of the family or foster carers. Looked After Children come into the care system following serious abuse and neglect. The behaviour of Looked After Children, which is often difficult and hard to understand, can cause placement breakdowns. In turn, placement breakdowns can compound the mental health problems already facing these children.
Minna Daum, Head of Programme for Vulnerable Families, explains:
"Good foster homes provide an environment of consistency and firm boundaries, but this is nowhere near enough for a child who has suffered years of abuse and neglect. If placements break down, or children are excluded from school, they become even more marginalised and their chances for fulfilling lives are further reduced.
"Foster carers, as well as teachers and social workers, need to be able to reflect on what is going on for the child that makes their behaviour so difficult to manage, and work together to help the child feel a sense of belonging in their foster placement."
The Centre's Placement Stability Programme is a three year pilot project funded with a grant from the Department of Health. The project aims to reduce inequalities in the life chances of this highly vulnerable group of children by developing the capacity of those who care for them to understand their complex emotional needs. Now at the end of its first year, the project is making a real difference to individual children, as Minna describes:
"These children often feel that nobody wants them, and close relationships feel threatening and anxiety-provoking. What they really need is to feel that their carers love, want and accept them for who they are.
"Working with these very troubled children and those closest to them - foster carers, birth family and frontline workers - The Anna Freud Centre team helps create a shared understanding and acceptance of each child which enables them to feel secure enough in their foster home to be able to fulfil their potential."
To find out more about the project please click here.
We are on the look out for volunteers to help out on the day, donations for our raffle and tombola, arts and crafts materials and outdoor toys. If you can help please call the Open Afternoon team on 020 7794 2313. 
