Enjoyment and Positive Relationships
We support and encourage our young people to maintain positive relationships with the important people in their lives, and develop their skills through a variety of activities.
At Headway, we are passionate about providing opportunities and enabling young people to participate in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, intellectual, physical and social interests, and skills.
We value the importance of leisure activities and young people are always encouraged and given opportunities to take part in their personal interests.
All activities are included in the young people’s Weekly Planners which are completed in consultation with each individual.
Activities reflect the choices of our young residents, and are supervised as any parent would, at all times where appropriate. Any specialist activities would be undertaken with an instructor who holds the relevant qualifications.
Young people are encouraged to get involved in the planning of activities and visits, such as trips to use the local amenities, to the coast or theme parks. There is also access to a variety of in house and community based entertainment activities, which are age appropriate. Young People have access to a computer with Wi-Fi and a games console in each home.
Continuity of relationships
We feel it is beneficial for young people to try and maintain constructive contact with the important people in their lives, either directly or by phone or letter. Our team of experienced staff encourage this, and offer support to allow young people to do so.
A young person can expect to have links with their parents, family and friends which is encouraged and supported. We do not place any restrictions on a young person’s contact, unless it is specifically stipulated within the Care Plan. Young people can expect to have other positive relationships supported via means such as telephone calls, letter writing, email and skype. All interactions will be offered an appropriate level of privacy but may require monitoring and will be dependent on any contact restrictions, taking into account the need to safeguard and protect the young person.
Visits by family and friends are important, and each of our homes promote a warm and welcoming experience for everyone.
Continuity of relationships is important and attachments are respected, sustained where possible, and developed. We feel it is important to show an interest in how visits have gone, and for young people, specific strategies may need to be developed to manage their behaviour and give additional support at these times. Partnerships with parents and relatives are crucial to ensuring that young people retain and build their identity.
Young People’s Views
We are committed to giving all young people the opportunity to be listened to and express their wishes, feelings and needs, and use an open person centred approach in all of our homes. We achieve this by promoting an ethos of open communication, holding regular house and one to one meetings.
Education and Therapy
We work with and advocate for access to education, ensuring the needs of the individual child are identified and met through well thought out and detailed placement plans. We are proactive in recognising any achievements made by the young people and celebrate these with them.
Religion, Culture and Anti-Discrimination
We promote an environment which supports self-identity by recognising that a young person’s ethnicity religion, culture, sexuality and language are crucial to their self-image and self-esteem.