There are over 4,000 registered children’s homes in England and the way care is delivered varies enormously.
Some follow a traditional model built around structure, rules and behaviour management.
Others take a therapeutic route – prioritising relationships, understanding and addressing the reasons behind a child’s behaviour rather than managing the behaviour alone.
The distinction matters for anyone exploring placement options. Here’s what each model looks like, how they differ and how the PACE framework shapes daily life at Beaufort.
What Standard Residential Care Looks Like
In a standard residential care setting, the focus may sway to managing behaviour through clear rules, consequences and structured routines.
Children need boundaries and consistency is important. But for children dealing with trauma, disrupted attachments or complex emotional and neurodevelopmental needs, a primarily rule-based model can miss what’s driving the behaviour in the first place.
A child who throws a plate at dinner might be responding to anxiety, a sensory trigger or a memory they can’t articulate – not testing boundaries for the fun of it.
What Therapeutic Care Does Differently
Therapeutic care starts from a different question. Instead of “what did the child do?”, it asks “what is the child feeling and why?” The behaviour still matters but the response is guided by an understanding of what’s behind it.
The relationship between the child and the adults around them is the primary vehicle for change. Trust, safety and emotional connection aren’t extras, they are the care. Everything else flows from that foundation.
The PACE Framework in Plain English
PACE was developed as a framework for building safe, trusting relationships with children who’ve experienced trauma or attachment difficulties. It stands for Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy.
- Playfulness: Keeping interactions warm, light and enjoyable. For a child who associates adults with stress, moments of shared laughter show the relationship isn’t only about rules and correction.
- Acceptance: Accepting the child’s feelings without judgment, even when the behaviour itself isn’t acceptable. A child who says “you don’t care about me” needs to hear that their feeling is understood, not argued with.
- Curiosity: Responding to behaviour with genuine interest rather than assumptions. “I wonder what was going on for you when that happened” opens a conversation. “Why did you do that?” closes one.
- Empathy: Showing the child their emotional experience matters. Not fixing it, not minimising it. Being alongside them in it.
How PACE Presents Itself Daily
At mealtimes, playfulness might mean turning cooking into something fun: music, a bit of mess, a shared joke. It takes the pressure off a situation that some children find difficult.
During a conflict, curiosity and empathy replace the instinct to correct. Instead of moving straight to consequences, the response becomes “I can see you’re upset, I wonder what’s going on.” The relationship stays intact while the adults try to understand what the child needs.
In activities, acceptance means celebrating effort rather than outcome. Noticing a child who tried something new, stayed calm in a busy environment or asked for help instead of withdrawing.
Why This Matters For Us at Beaufort
Our children’s home settings are small, (typically three bedrooms) spread across Dorset and Hampshire.
Combined with trained teams, a clear framework and clinical oversight, it means the therapeutic model works in practice rather than just on paper. The adults know the children well enough for PACE to be robust and authentic rather than performative.
If you’d like to understand how we work in more detail, our therapeutic care page explains the model further. We take referrals from families, case managers, local authorities, NHS Trusts and integrated care boards.
Whether you’re a professional exploring placement options or a family member trying to understand what’s available, get in touch and we’ll talk through whether Beaufort might be the right fit.