Our Statement

TO PROVIDE OUTSTANDING QUALITY OF CARE AND OPPORTUNITIES TO ENABLE CHILDREN TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

THIS IS UNDERTAKEN IN A SAFE, SECURE, FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT THAT IS NON-INSTITUTIONAL, PROMOTING FAMILY STYLE LIVING AS A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE HOME.

Willow House is registered with Ofsted to provide up to 3 full-time residential places to children and young people aged between 9 and 17 who may have experienced trauma and dysfunction within their family environment and may have difficulty regulating their emotions and behaviours. They may also have experienced numerous care placements, often across a large geographical area.

The maximum age on admission is seventeen (17) years of age.

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We aim to provide a settled period of residential care with a therapeutic emphasis and multi-agency involvement, to help children recover from experiences which have rendered them vulnerable and consequently disrupted their primary relationships. Based within the community, our residential service is designed to improve children’s life chances and outcomes, by enabling them to (re)build relationships with staff, their families and friends, and to achieve a stable living situation.

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Our Home’s Ethos, Underlying Principles, Primary Aims & Outcomes We Seek to Achieve.

At Willow House, we believe in offering our children a safe, nurturing and caring home environment where they can build positive and purposeful relationships with others. We work closely with partner agencies to ensure holistic, comprehensive care for our children. These agencies including CAMHS, Police Safer Neighbourhood Team, Virtual Schools, and a number of other agencies to ensure that their needs are fully met. We also have a qualified counsellor at Willow House and all of our staff are trauma informed trained.

We aim to make their home a place where they can learn new skills, have new experiences and develop skills for life by creating an environment where children can feel valued and listened to and can build appropriate relationships with other children and adults, learning to cope with and manage their feelings, and grasp opportunities.

Structure is provided through daily living routines, activities and 1:1 time with key carers. We encourage children to lead healthy lifestyles and pride ourselves in the opportunities we are able to provide them.

Positive behaviour is recognised, celebrated and rewarded. Children are encouraged to reflect on negative behaviour and unwanted consequences through educational keywork sessions and the open, discursive culture at Willow House. Children are encouraged and supported to work towards restorative outcomes after unacceptable behaviour. It is always our aim to treat children as part of a collaborative and respectful relationship. Our priority is to draw learning and understanding from difficult times rather than simply the imposition of sanctions.  

Willow House is relentless in the pursuit of high expectations and aspirations for the children in our care.  The Registered Manager, staff team and wider support networks work together to ensure that the children receive high quality care and support to keep them safe and enable them to make progress in all aspects of their life. We are committed to promoting and communicating our unshakeable belief in their potential and worth.

Underlying principles

We abide by the Charter of Rights for Children adopted by the United Nations Convention. We want our children to feel safe, happy, secure, and valued, believing that when these conditions exist effective learning and the development of independence can take place. Our relationships with the children are therefore governed by the following principles:

Privacy

Our children are able to have their own freedom of space when they express a need for it.

Independence

We aim to give our children maximum freedom to make their own decisions within reasonable limits and support.  We help them to learn from any mistakes.

Dignity

We recognise and respect the unique nature of each individual and aim to help our children express their individuality appropriately.

Choice

We seek to provide as many opportunities as possible for our children to make their own choices and to provide them with the opportunities to do so.

Rights

All children have rights, irrespective of personal characteristics.  We teach children that with rights go responsibilities and that in exercising their own rights they should not infringe on the rights of others.

Primary aims and outcomes

• To provide a safe, stable and nurturing environment in a caring and homely setting

• To protect and promote each child’s welfare

• To treat our children with respect and dignity at all times

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How we achieve this:

• Supporting children in making safe decisions now, and in the future.

• Offering each child in our care the opportunity to be heard and understood. For example, a framework for assessment and the outcomes star ensures the child has a voice and that delivery of their social, cultural, emotional, religious, physical and dietary needs are fully addressed and met on an individual basis.

• Providing trained, knowledgeable and competent staff. We work in partnership with health and education colleagues, other professionals and external organizations known to the child, and attend relevant meetings as required with and on behalf of the child.

• Treating all children in our care as unique individuals.

• Supporting and encouraging children to take part in leisure activities and suitable hobbies of interest to them. This includes access to local community resources, and to develop links with peers locally where appropriate.

• Promoting the physical health, emotional health, social and educational welfare of the children. For example, each child’s health care needs are fully met, and they have access to local health care professionals. Also, we place great importance on the child being fully encouraged and supported in maximising their education. 

• Equipping our children with life skills and independence living skills.

• Providing personalised care. For example, key workers play an active role in supporting the child working in partnership with other professionals where appropriate.

• Enabling our children to contribute to the decision-making process, e.g. The child is encouraged to attend statutory reviews and contribute to their Care Plan.  

• Supporting our children to develop positive self-esteem, self-confidence and self-worth. This can be an important foundation for the child being equipped to cope with their future as an adult and maximise their potential towards achieving independence. Each child has the opportunity to collate information and materials that they see as significant and develop a ‘memory book’ during their stay at the home of photos keepsakes and achievements.

• Recognising and promoting the rights and associated responsibilities of each child.

• Our Safeguarding policy and practices being adhered to and staff have access to training and information on any updates to ensure that the children are properly safeguarded.

• Working closely with parents/carers, other family and friends (all where appropriate) in order to maintain positive support networks.

                                                                                                                            *This list is not in preferential order and is not exhaustive.