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Young Persons Views
Our staff strive to provide a nurturing environment for young people to grow and express their views, opinions, and needs. Our homes have a number of policies and procedures in place that are designed to ensure the young person's views are taken into account. These include regular meetings with the young person or their guardian to discuss their needs, allowing for equal access to resources and activities, and a commitment to listening to and respecting the opinions of the young people who reside there. We are committed to providing a safe and secure place for young people to grow and to have their voices heard.
Open Communication
At Aspire Pathway Group , we place the utmost importance on providing quality care that is tailored to each young person's individual wants and needs. Our team of dedicated staff take all the time necessary to understand each young person's individual circumstances, and ensure that all decisions are made with the young person's input and in accordance with their wishes. We also make sure to involve the young person in the planning and implementation of their own care plan, to ensure that the care provided fits their exact needs. We make sure to continually review the care provision and make any necessary changes, so that we can continue to provide the best possible care for our young people.
We do this through holding regular house meetings , one to one child voice meetings , key worker sessions and open conversations with the young person. During this communication we ensure that we are speaking with the young person in a way that they understand and that there is an open and honest environment where the young person can voice any concerns or queries, should they want to. These discussions with the young person allow us to build positive and trusting relationships with there , where they feel comfortable to voice their own opinions and feelings , whilst also feeling valued , involved and listened to.
Child voice meetings are held a minimum of once every two weeks, these give the young person the opportunity to take part in the open environment of honesty, discuss their views and feelings on living at the home , but also any other areas of life - including areas of their care plans and how they feel about these.
Open environments promote openness and honesty in a variety of ways. We recognise that this is particularly important for creating a safe and secure atmosphere for the young person. Open communication channels between staff and young people are essential for forming trusting relationships and providing the young person with a sense of security. Openness also allows the staff to gain valuable insights into the young person and their needs, enabling them to provide better care and support. Additionally, openness breeds honest and authentic conversations, which in turn helps the young person to reflect on the situation more constructively, developing the ability to express their thoughts and feelings more effectively. Openness and honesty are essential elements of any caring environment, and are actively encouraged in all of our homes.
Staff within the homes continually support young people to express their honest views about the home and care they receive. If required staff will advocate on behalf of the young person , or support them within contacting the relevant external authorities.
On arrival to the home the young people are given and taken through the 'Young Persons Guide' which not only explains to them how to home runs , but it also gives them the contact details for management , their social worker , their IRO , OFSTED , The Local safeguarding board , and the Office of children's commissioner. Young people are informed and reminded of their rights and the process of contacting any of the external bodies should they have any concerns about their care.
Celebrating Diversity and Promoting Inclusivity
At Aspire Pathway Group, we strongly believe in celebrating diversity and promoting inclusivity. We actively encourage young people to express their individual religious beliefs, cultural backgrounds, and personal choices. We strive to create a safe and secure environment that values and respects all individuals, regardless of their beliefs and backgrounds. Additionally, we provide an array of activities and opportunities that help young people to explore and celebrate different cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles. We believe that this teaches young people to be accepting of diversity and encourages them to accept and respect each other, no matter their differences. We are committed to creating an environment that celebrates diversity and allows young people to feel safe and worthy of respect, regardless of their backgrounds and beliefs.
In order to ensure all religious, cultural, ethnic and spiritual needs are met, we provide the necessary resources for young people to explore and learn about their faith and culture. We celebrate and accommodate holidays and events from all different religions/spirituality, cultures, and ethnicities such as Eid and Diwali, so that all young people and staff feel included. Furthermore, we provide therapy sessions that are tailored to the individual needs of the young people in order to help them understand and connect with themselves and their beliefs. We strive to create an open and accepting atmosphere that allows young people to explore, express and practice their faith and culture without fear of judgment or exclusion.
Within our homes we actively celebrate different religions , cultures , ethnicities and beliefs - encouraging both staff and the young person to take part. Each month will be focused on a different religion , culture , belief or ethnicity and, activities and meals will be planned in line with these. This may include cooking certain cultural dishes , or doing quizzes to learn about a specific celebration , as well as taking part in activities such as visiting different museums to enhance the young persons knowledge.
Staff within the home will take part in equal opportunities and anti-discrimination training to ensure they have an in-depth understanding of how to act in line with our values , and to work in line with our zero-tolerance policy of any discriminatory behaviour. We believe every young person has a right to a high level of care and support , regardless or their personal values and beliefs , and we expect this to be mirrored by our staffing team.
Working in Partnership to Support Young People
At Aspire Pathway Group we work in partnership with the families of our young people, the local authorities and other professional support agencies such as CAHMS, Police , Drug & Alcohol Services and YMCA. We believe that by working together, we can provide the best possible support to our young people. Our staff recognise the importance of maintaining a supportive environment and respect the decisions of the young person and their family.
We understand that at times, it may be necessary to restrict a young person from seeing a specific person or group of people. In any such circumstance, our staff will strictly adhere to the guidelines set out by the family, the local authority and other professional support agencies. We strive to ensure that our young people are safe and protected from any potential harm.
At the same time, we are committed to helping our young people develop positive relationships with those around them. We understand that it is an important part of our job to help our young people to build trusting, healthy relationships with their peers and with members of staff. We strive to create an environment of understanding and acceptance, where our young people can flourish and reach their full potential. We will work with professionals to create an individual plan for each young person, which includes targeted support to help build new relationships that benefit the young person in the long term. This plan will be discussed and reviewed regularly to ensure that any restrictions that may be in place are only there when necessary and are in place for the wellbeing of the young person. Our staff are sensitive to the needs of the young person and always strive to provide a nurturing and encouraging atmosphere, so that the young person can feel safe and supported.
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Feedback
We understand the importance of feedback from the young people, their families, staff, and all professionals involved. We value the opinions and feedback of all those who are involved in our young people’s lives, and strive to make sure that our services are as effective and tailored to them as possible.
To ensure that our young people can have their voices heard, we host child voice meetings with them at least once every two weeks. At these meetings, young people can voice their feelings and opinions on the service, the support they are receiving, their care plan, and anything else they wish to speak about. We take all feedback seriously and strive to make sure that our services meet the needs and expectations of our young people.
We are committed to creating an environment where our young people feel safe and respected, and their voices are heard. We believe that by fostering a culture of open communication and understanding, we can ensure that our young people receive the best possible care and support.
