|
The Lioncare Group has one aim: To improve
the lives and prospects of the children and young people in
our care.
All too often, children
and young people are referred to us as a measure of last
resort. They may have suffered repeated
unsuccessful attempts at rehabilitation with their
families, or endured multiple and repeated break down of
one foster placement after another. By the time we
meet them, their confidence in adults' ability to
care for them is limited, their sense of self-worth is
distorted, and opportunities for them to enjoy their
childhood have been dramatically reduced.
Whilst The Lioncare Group
appreciates and celebrates the benefits of family life
for the majority of Looked After children,
we recognise that some children and young
people first need specialised residential therapeutic
support if they are to achieve a sustainable foster care
placement or successfully live independently. For these
children and young people, therapeutic residential
intervention should be the option of first choice,
laying the foundations on which they can begin
rebuilding their lives, and paving the way for
achievable fostering or independent living.
These children or young
people may generally deal
with day-to-day situations in a state of panic and rage,
become
anxious, angry, or despairing,
and may have been traumatised and/or emotionally
deprived and damaged through experiences during
their early stages of infancy and childhood, or
through previous care experiences. They will typically
have suffered emotional and/or physical neglect, physical injury
and/or intimidation,
sexual abuse and/or emotional abuse.
They may have difficulty
achieving basic trust in adults and generally find the
demands of every day living overwhelming and
unmanageable. They may have formed an array of
defensive mechanisms which have proved effective in
protecting them from the outside world, but which now
represent a barrier to healthy emotional development.
They
frequently display anti-social, withdrawn,
disruptive, and destructive behaviours and outbursts,
and their chaotic inner
world may leave them with a sense of worthlessness,
emptiness and extreme low self-esteem. They
may also show signs of learning and developmental
delays.
Adults concerned with
their care, education, or wellbeing of these children or
young people may feel at a loss as to know what to do or
how to help.
The
consequence for the child or young person
may be severe difficulties in their ability to:
Cope in a healthy way
with situations of separation, loss, and change
Appropriately express,
contain, or manage their emotions & urges
(including sexual)
Deal with their feelings
of aggression and / or violence
Thrive within an
education setting
Form or invest in
emotional attachments to others
Show healthy functioning
within a group situation
Socialise with peers
If
you would like to talk with us about a
particular child or young person who you feel
would benefit from the care and provision we
offer, you can phone us on 01273 720424
 |
|
If you would like to e-mail us about a referral,
click on the link below:
If you wish to place a child or young person with us,
please complete and return the appropriate referral form
which you can find by clicking on the relevant link
below:
 |
Referral Process: Residential Provision
An initial
enquiry from a
referring
authority or agency
is made to the service manager (Jane McNamara) by phone
01273 720424
or e-mail
jane@lioncare.co.uk.
Having listened
carefully, and noted all relevant and appropriate
information, the service manager consults with the Director,
and between them they assess our ability
to meet the needs of the referred child or young person.
Following
further consultation with senior colleagues in
the homes and school, a preliminary decision to accept or
decline the referral is made, usually within 24
hours, based on the information provided.
The service manager contacts the referring authority or
agency to discuss the preliminary decision.
If it is agreed
we could offer an appropriate placement, further
detailed information will be sought from the
referring authority.
A date is set for
the case social worker to visit and meet with
the service manager and registered manager and / or Head Teacher as
appropriate to ensure the proposed placement
meets the child's / young person’s needs.
If all parties
are in agreement, and following authorisation by
the Director, the Service manager confirms the
placement in writing to the referring
authority. The referring authority then
responds in writing their wish to accept the
offer. There is usually a need for panel
agreement before this stage is reached.
For the residential provision,
the admissions procedure begins, and is overseen
by the respective registered manager. For the
education provision, this is overseen by the
head teacher.
This includes:
-
collating,
sorting, and sharing relevant information
-
visiting the
child or young person in their current home or
school placement with the proposed key worker
from the home or school
-
presenting them with
their 'welcome book', 'guide to Westfields', or
'student welcome pack' as appropriate
-
maintaining
contact with the child or young person and their
current carers / teachers
-
arranging for the
child or young person to visit the home or
school
-
arranging for
their bedroom to be decorated according to
the
preferences
of the child or young person
-
being present to
welcome the child or young person to the home or
school on their day of admission.
For residential
referrals, an admissions conference for all the
adults involved in the welfare of the child or
young person is held in the home prior to the
day of admission. |
