Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Residential care | Berry Street Skip to main content

Out-of-home care

Residential care

Gippsland region Hume region Northern region South Eastern region Western region

Three teenagers walking together in a park

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’s therapeutic service, Take Two, supports our Therapeutic Residential Care houses. Take Two clinicians provide support staff with advice and strategies to better support the young people they are caring for.

Often young people in TRC have complex needs and have experienced significant trauma. TRC creates a space where they 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.
Girl sitting on chair playing guitar

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:

  • Staff story

    Staying positive during COVID-19 with Hollie Purton

    We spoke to one of our Residential Care Supervisors about how the team has kept the young people positive and engaged during COVID-19.

  • Free to be a child again: Lucas heals from trauma

    Lucas has been living in a Teaching Family Model house where two specially trained carers have been helping him to form healthy family relationships.

  • 400 children, 35 years, 2 carers

    People like Kerryn and Stephen make a huge difference in the lives of vulnerable children by providing them a family life in their home.