Safe Places for Children’s Journey So Far

Safe Places for Children UK was formed and registered as a charity on the 28 April 2016.

The organisation was formed after a successful “shark tank” (Australia’s version of Dragon’s Den) pitch by senior managers that were born in the United Kingdom but were working in Australia for Safe Places. These senior managers participated and successfully obtained approval from the Australian board to bring Safe Places Integrated Practice Framework to the United Kingdom.

The approval created the opportunity to implement a therapeutic residential model for young people across both England and Northern Ireland that is based on Safe Places Integrated Practice Framework which is a researched, practical, and theory-based model that specialises in small therapeutic residential homes. The senior managers were able to transfer their skills and knowledge of the Integrated Practice Framework (IPF) model and practices as they returned to England and Northern Ireland, to start the process of “starting up” the charities therapeutic model of care.

As the organisation developed its working relationships with various Local Authorities, Health & Social Care Trusts and Regulators, it created an opportunity to understand the needs within various locations for our IPF and how this can be implemented to help numerous young people that would benefit from a small therapeutic model of care.

Safe Places where successful in obtaining registration with RQIA (Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority) in Northern Ireland and opened our first Children’s Home in May 2019. Safe Places opened their second Children’s Home in May 2023 and opened our third Children’s Home in May 2025 within Northern Ireland. Safe Places aim to provide medium to long terms placements for maximum of two young people within each of our registered services.

Within England, Safe Places had opened a Children’s Home within the Cheshire East Area, this area was identified due to the established links with service providers and the Local Authority. In September 2024 Safe Places for Children obtained registration for their new service with OFSTED (Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills), this home has been created to also provide medium to long term placement stability for a maximum of one or two young people.

Safe Places, want to continue to increase services in the coming years that can further support more young people across England and Northern Ireland. Safe Places continue to review, learn, and evolve our model of practice as we establish more opportunities to provide high quality of care to young people, as at Safe Places it is all about the young people. If any Local Authority or Health and Social Care Trust would like to find out more information about our services, please get in touch via the contact us section of the website or email: NI.Referral@safeplacesforchildren.co.uk or Enquiries@safeplacesforchildren.co.uk