The Lioncare Group
  • Home
  • Therapeutic Residential Care
    • Our Therapeutic Practice Approach
    • Springfields Therapeutic Children’s Home
    • Westfields Children’s Home
    • Hillfields Therapeutic Children’s Home
    • Preparation for Fostering
    • Interdependent Living
    • Outreach & After-Care
  • Therapeutic Education
    • The Lioncare School
  • Training & Consultancy
    • Training Courses
    • Organisational Consultancy & Group Facilitation
    • Consultancy to Foster Carers
  • Referrals
    • Inspection
  • Recruitment
  • Policy & Procedures
  • Contact Us

Lioncare Level 3 Diploma in Therapeutic Childcare & Education

We are now accepting applications from learners wishing to join Cohort 21 of the course, due to begin in September 2022.

The taught element of the course is based in Brighton & Hove and runs for 21 weeks (excluding school holidays).

Please contact admin@lioncare.co.uk for an application form and course programme.

Consultancy to Foster Carers

The Lioncare Group can be commissioned by Local Authorities and Fostering Agencies to offer Consultancy to Foster Carers with the aim of supporting them in their professional roles as carers to Looked After Children.  Consultancy to Foster Carers is especially effective where the carers are relatively new to fostering, where there are concerns as to the sustainability of the placement, where the carers are experiencing difficulty coping with the day-to-day demands of the role, and where the child displays complex and challenging needs.

Experience and Qualifications:

The Consultant, Matt Vince, has over 24 years of direct experience working in Residential Group Homes for children and adults, and Therapeutic Communities for children, variously taking up the role of Care Worker (adolescents), Bank Relief Worker (Learning Disabilities), Residential Social Worker, Therapeutic Carer, Senior Therapeutic Carer, Deputy Manager, Registered Manager, Operations Manager and currently Exectuive Director of The Lioncare Group.

Matt has over 20 years experience providing formal supervision to colleagues at all levels and posts, 19 years experience working with and running SEBD education and a Therapeutic School, 15 years experience creating, developing and facilitating monthly work-based Group Process Meetings, and experience as a Small-Group Facilitator at group-relations conferences run by The Centre for Emotional Development in addition to being a  participating member of Group Relations Conferences and Group Analytic Residential Workshops.

Matt is currently the Chair of the Community of Community (Royal College of Psychiatrists) Children & Young People Therapeutic Communities Network, a Committee Member of the ICHA, and Course Organiser for the CACHE accredited Level 3 Diploma in Therapeutic Child Care and Education, and an Independent External Consultant to Foster Carers.

Matt holds the B.Sc. [hons] in Experimental Psychology (University of Sussex), a Certificate in Introduction to Group Analysis (Institute of Group Analysis), a Post Graduate Diploma in Therapeutic Child Care (University of Reading), and an M.A. in Consultation & the Organisation (University of East London/Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust).

The Tavistock Approach to Consultancy:

The Tavistock Approach to Consultancy[1] recognises that sometimes an ‘external mind’ is required to help others explore issues, look at what is happening ‘beneath the surface’, and support the level of thinking needed for change to be effective and sustainable[2].

This form of consultancy has been developed at The Tavistock Clinic, The Tavistock Institute, and The Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust over many decades.  It differs from other forms by combining psychoanalytic theory, group psychodynamics, and systems thinking to create a framework for working with the conscious and unconscious processes in individuals and groups and networks.  It helps us to explore how these are connected to and become manifest in the various structures and functions existing in our work. Much emphasis is placed on the importance of personal experience in affecting effective change, and the impact of interpersonal and intergroup relationships on the work-task.

Task of the Consultancy:

The relative success of any consultancy begins with establishing clear agreement by all parties on the specific task of the consultancy, and remaining ‘On-Task’ throughout the consultancy process. The primary task of is often stated as being to support the continuation and success of the foster placement.

The specific outcomes of the consutlancy are agreed at the commissioning stage, and may include one or more of the following:

  1. Provide the Foster Carers regular (i.e. weekly or fortnightly) process consultation sessions each lasting 60 minutes for the purpose of supporting them in thinking about and reflecting on what is happening whilst it is happening in relation to their role as foster carers to the child.
  2. Where practical and feasible, offer guidance and advice in the form of role consultation on interventions and strategies the Foster Carers might employ in their professional carer role with the child.
  3. Assist the Foster Carers in thinking about managing the child’s behaviour.
  4. Help the Foster Carers make sense of the impact of the child’s needs and behaviours on them, and offer the carers strategies for knowing how to cope with what the child presents.
  5. Help others to better understand the child.
  6. Maintain a summary note of each session and provide the commissioning authority with progress reports.

[1] Huffington et al (2004): Working below the Surface. H. Karnac (Books) Ltd. London

[2] Obholzer, A. and Roberts, V.Z. (1994): The Unconscious at Work – individual and organisational stress in the human services. Routledge. London

 

For further information or an informal chat, contact Matt

E:  matt@lioncare.co.uk

T: 01273 720424

 

Testimonial from Former Client

To Whom it may concern:

Matt has supported us since September 2011, initially weekly and more recently fortnightly with our work as foster carers with our foster child who has been in placement with us since July 2011.

I think it would be true to say that Matt has seen our ‘highs and lows’ during this time. He has been extremely helpful in a variety of ways;  ‘normalising’ for us our foster child’s behaviours and sometimes our responses, taking us through the stages of the child’s development and linking  to theory, encouraging us to remember the progress he has made when we are experiencing yet another setback, and more importantly believing and trusting us.

Matt has always been professional with a very down to earth, realistic approach. This has been particularly useful to us. We have felt that we could call him  between sessions if we were really struggling  or we needed clarity.

He always responded and reassured us. I have really loved and valued the therapeutic approach.

Regards

Foster Carers (names removed for safegaurding reasons)

 

Latest News

The Lioncare School is Good

Following a full and thorough inspection by Ofsted on 21st-23rd September 2021, and the publication of the Inspection Report, I am extremely pleased to congratulate the Adults and Children of The Lioncare School on achieving the Ofsted Judgement of Good In All Areas.
"Pupils at The Lioncare School feel safe and settled"
"Staff help pupils to understand and cope with big feelings with compassion and patience"
"One pupil described the staff as ‘super rocket nice’ and told inspectors that he trusted staff to look after him"
"The curriculum equips pupils with the vital knowledge that they must learn"
"Pupils’ personal, social and health education curriculum is highly tailored"
"Pupils throughout the school read very well because staff refuse to let them fall behind"
"The arrangements for safeguarding are effective"

Springfields is Outstanding
As Chief Executive Officer of The Lioncare Group, Responsible Individual for our three Children's Homes, and Chair of our Independent SEMH School, it is my honour and privilege to congratulate the Adults and Children of Springfields Therapeutic Children's Home on achieving the Ofsted Judgement of Outstanding at the Full Inspection of the Home on 2nd-3rd June 2021.
"Children benefit from excellent care provided by an effective, skilled, and dedicated staff team."
"Staff exemplify the home’s therapeutic approach and put their extensive training into practice."
"Children are involved in developing their individual plans and this assists them to develop an understanding of how to keep themselves safe."
"The registered manager demonstrates excellent leadership based on a clear and sustained focus on providing the best quality of care and experiences for children."
"Together with the highly effective deputy manager, the management team has embedded an exemplary child-centered culture."
"The responsible individual has a sound understanding of the needs of the children and staff team."
"The shared therapeutic ethos of the home is evident in the approach of the management and leadership team."

Rainbow Flag Award:
The Lioncare Group, led by The Lioncare School, is proud to have achieved The Rainbow Flag Award.

The Rainbow Flag Award is a national quality assurance framework for all schools and colleges, focusing on LGBT+, (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, plus other related identities), inclusion and visibility. The Rainbow Flag Award encourages a whole organisation approach to LGBT+ inclusion, as well as developing strategies to combat LGBTphobic bullying.

You can find out more about The Rainbow Flag Award and associated projects by following these links:

https://www.theproudtrust.org/

http://www.allsortsyouth.org.uk/

http://thekitetrust.org.uk/

Feedback:
We're always busy updating the Lioncare website. Help us to improve the website by sending your feedback to:
info@lioncare.co.uk