Out-of-home care
Residential care
Gippsland region
Hume region
Northern region
South Eastern region
Western region
Residential care is a model of support for children and young people living in out-of-home care. Residential care provides young people with a place to live and 24-hour in-home carer support when they are unable to live with family, kinship carers or foster carers.
Young people in residential care are generally between 13 and 18 years old. Many have experienced abuse, neglect or violence and are some of the most vulnerable young people living in our community.
Our staff care for children and young people (up to 4 per house) 24-hours a day and manage the day-to-day running of the home.
Our Residential Care Program and staff assist young people:
- with school or education
- to meet their health needs
- to develop their independent living skills
- to develop interests and hobbies
- to identify and achieve their goals
- build connections to their culture, community and families (where possible).
Therapeutic approach to residential care
Therapeutic Residential Care (TRC) uses a trauma-informed, relationship-based model of care to help young people heal from trauma.
Berry Street have implemented an evidence based model of care call the Teaching Family Model in all therapeutic residential care houses.
The Teaching Family Model is a trauma-informed model of care where children and young people learn new behaviours by observing and imitating others. The model is based on social learning theory and focuses on building their, strengths, problem-solving and interpersonal and leadership skills.
Our Therapeutic Residential Care houses are also supported by Berry Street’s therapeutic service, Take Two. Take Two clinicians provide carers with advice and strategies to better support young people.
Often young people in residential care have complex needs and have experienced significant trauma. Therapeutic Residential Care houses create a space where young people can start to feel safe and continue their growth and development with nurturing and trusted adults.
Each young person has an individual therapeutic treatment plan and is supported by a multidisciplinary team. Care staff support young people to:
- develop self‑awareness
- create new coping strategies
- heal from their trauma.
Contact us
Berry Street runs Residential Care Programs in our 5 regions across Victoria. All referrals are from the Department of Health and Human Services in Victoria.
For more information, please contact your closest Berry Street office:
Foster care services
