SME News Q4 2022/ 32 Leading Innovation in Children’s Care 2026 (Staffordshire): Prep4Fostering Programme Hygge Care Ltd (Hygge Care) offers medium-term therapeutic residential placements for children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties or learning disabilities, alongside a unique and awardwinning Prep4Fostering model, designed to prepare children who have experienced significant trauma to transition into a stable, long-term foster family. We spoke to Natalie Partridge Evans, the company’s director, to gain deeper insight into Hygge Care’s work. Hygge Care is different to mainstream residential homes – it has a clear therapeutic purpose: to help children develop the emotional security, resilience, and understanding needed in order to form lasting family relationships. Its Prep4Fostering service identifies children in a medium-term therapeutic residential placement who are showing potential to live in a family, helping them to develop the mental and emotional stability they need to form long-term relationships and rebuild their lives. The service is also suitable for those who are at high risk of placement breakdown in their current foster family, as well as those who have experienced multiple foster care placement breakdowns. Within the process, each child is nurtured to better understand their own life journey and what they have been through, while managing the difficulties and obstacles that have so far prevented them from living successfully in a foster family. In a safe and caring space, the child is supported to explore their feelings, memories, and emotions, which allows the team to understand their ‘internal working model’. The Hygge Care team are skilled in providing a high level of collaborative and tailored support to each child and family they are set to join. As a result, children are able to re-enter a family setting, with long-term stability in a normal environment, rather than a future in residential care. “Children thrive when they experience safe, consistent, and nurturing placements,” said Natalie. “Our approach is rooted in traumainformed and attachment-based practice. We recognise that children communicate through their behaviour, and we encourage our team to look beyond the behaviour to understand the unmet needs beneath it. This creates a culture of curiosity, compassion, and reflection, rather than blame or punishment. “We promote openness, compassion, and continuous learning for the team. We work with our clinical partner to deliver quality accredited training to our staff to ensure they have the skills and understanding to be able to respond effectively to a child in need. All staff also receive clinical supervision from the home’s psychologist, who also informs practice at regular team meetings.” Operating in the Midlands, Natalie tells us that this is a great location for delivering specialist therapeutic residential care, due to its central position and access to a diverse network of fostering agencies, specialist schools, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), and therapeutic professionals. This means Hygge Care can work closely with partners to ensure the highest standard of integrated care and to identify appropriate long-term foster families for children who are ready to move on. With regard to the future of Hygge Care, Natalie tells us that it centres on one ambition: to help as many children as it can to experience the security, stability, and belonging of a forever foster family. “Every successful transition from the home into a loving, well-matched family represents a life changed,” she said. “We currently have children who are preparing for this exciting next step, supported through carefully planned, therapeutic transitions that give both the child and their new family the greatest opportunity to build lasting relationships. Once these children have successfully moved on, we will welcome new children to begin the same journey, ensuring that more young people can benefit from our specialist Prep4Fostering service.” The remainder of 2026 will see its focus remain on delivering consistently outstanding care, strengthening its therapeutic model, and continuing to work closely with local authorities, foster carers, and its clinical partner to achieve the best outcome for every child. Looking further ahead, it will seek to expand its specialist provision by opening an additional home. This growth will be meticulously planned to ensure it maintains the quality, values, and therapeutic approach that Hygge Care has become known for. The aim is not simply to increase capacity but to extend its unique model so it can help more children who have experienced trauma and placement instability successfully adjust to family life. Natalie concluded, “Success for us will never be measured by the number of homes we operate. It will be measured by the number of children who leave our care with greater confidence, stronger relationships, and the opportunity to thrive within a loving family.” Contact: Natalie Partridge Evans Company: Hygge Care Ltd Web Address: http://hygge-care.co.uk
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