Environment

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Safety - the home is set up to be a safe and comfortable place to be. The notions of safety and risk are dealt with on a daily basis and the ability to assess and deal with these is developed through interaction.

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Security - the precautions taken and the stability of the home are designed to engender a sense of security in the individual allowing them to concentrate on their own development.

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Functional - the home offers facilities and opportunities for stimulation and development in a protected environment.

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Productive - because education runs through all aspects of the environment, not just academic education, individuals have the opportunity to achieve in many areas.

Assessment

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History - making use of the existing information on arrival for datum and reference in preparation of individual plans.

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Monitoring - the framework systems we make use of to assess needs, degrees of adherence to plans and progress along these. We make extensive use of the principles of the ‘Core Assessment Framework’ to inform our internal systems.

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Observation - the records of interaction and occurrence which are taken by the care staff daily.

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Feedback - from young people, their families, social workers, staff and other relevant parties becomes extremely important in assessing needs and/or trends in behaviour.

Coordination

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Key working - the system of assigning a member of staff to an individual young person, they then meet with them regularly, communicating in both directions, and coordinate all aspects of their care.

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Staff Communication - via handovers, messaging systems, meetings, reports and logs.

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Planning Meetings - both internal and external (reviews) which allow for exchange of information and goal setting.

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One to One Work - humanistic therapeutic intervention using a behavioural approach to tackle individual issues.

Routine

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Timetable - the daily routines and events which are planned for the individual to promote the tenets of self-esteem, development and achievement.

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Relationships - developing and coordinating the relationships between staff and young people ensuring consistency and therefore security and understanding.

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Involvement - ensuring the ‘ownership’ that the young person has in their care plan and environment

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Behaviour - promoting and rewarding appropriate behaviour and interactions with staff, peers and others

Achievement

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Positive Development - progress in dealing with behavioural and social difficulties.

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Understanding - recognition of past, present and future circumstances, and of their place in them.

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Education - individual achievement which leads on to future prospects and opportunities.

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Reward - through schemes in the home and also from personal and external achievement.