Seizing their chance to be free of grown-up supervision, the Young People take charge of the Dumping Ground... driving Gus to breaking point.
Still home alone, the young people go hungry, having spent all the money. For her own secret purpose, Elektra takes advantage of the ensuing fallout.
When her dad's pregnant girlfriend moves into their flat, Lily rebels, telling Mike she wants to come back to the Dumping Ground.
Jody is back with her family and on the surface all seems well, but when she turns up at the Dumping Ground with a bag full of swag it’s clear that her brother, Kingsley, has been out stealing. When Kingsley comes to collect her, terrified Jody is forced to return home. So it’s up to a worried Carmen to mount a rescue mission for her friend.
The Dumping Ground is divided when a same-sex couple show an interest in fostering Gus. As Johnny and Elektra come to blows about whether gay couples should be allowed to adopt, Gus is in turmoil about leaving the Dumping Ground and father figure Mike behind.
When the police turn up at Elm Tree House looking for Faith, wicked whispers fly. But Faith won’t give anything away, preferring to focus on her training for a charity run. The Young People are shocked to learn the brutal truth and rally round to support Faith, while the new girl in the house, Floss, wonders where on Earth she’s been dumped.
After getting bad exam results Frank denounces school and gets a job in the local café. He develops a full-blown crush on the waitress, Jade, and when she introduces him to a psychic medium it seems like Frank has finally found some answers about his future. But his Dumping Ground friends worry that he’s been taken for a ride.
Rick gets a huge shock when he finds his dad, disguised as a boiler man, right inside the Dumping Ground. Gerry insists that he's above board now and promises Rick a happy family future, but it quickly becomes clear that Gerry still loves the buzz of a hustle, and Rick is distraught. Meanwhile, Tee takes a shine to Gina's mum, Hattie, and is furious to hear Mike suggest that Hattie should move into a care home for the elderly, However, all is not what it seems, as Tee soon finds out.
It's the Dumping Ground annual trip out and the Young People finds themselves living like Edwardians for the day in the country estate, to learn about history by experiencing it. Resentment and tensions build as they split off into servants and masters, and soon boundaries between real life and make-believe become very blurred. A class war begins between the slaves and the Earl, Johnny, who begins to take his power way too seriously. Meanwhile, Elektra knows a secret...
Mo is the Dumping Ground’s new eccentric resident and everyone thinks he’s a bit strange, especially Tyler - who has to share a room with him. Tee takes pity on him and helps him with his arty creations, but poor Mo has never had a real friend before and it’s not long before Tee starts to feel suffocated. Mo can’t take a hint and pushes Tee right to her limit, with dangerous consequences.
A classic Tyler practical joke backfires, causing irreparable damage and Tyler is forced to re-evaluate himself; maybe it’s time he grew up. Without his comedy to fall back on, he finds himself in a dark and scary place. It’s up to his friends to try their best to convince him to be himself but will they succeed? Lily, Carmen and Tee fall out at an unsupervised sleepover at Lily’s flat.
A beautiful stranger named Esme visits Elm Tree House and soon Carmen's head is turned by tales of a glamorous live in Rio. However, the rest of The Dumping Ground is more divided, with many kids thinking she's a snob. However, Mike soon falls ill and now Carmen has a choice: stay at Elm Tree, or run away to Rio?
A face from the past comes back to haunt Faith, and brings danger right inside the Dumping Ground. Mo buys a magic egg which hatches… into a snake! Elektra thinks it’s cool and decides to keep it as a pet.
