SUPPORT
LCS knows that every young person is different.
We don’t believe in ‘one size fits all’. We understand that we need to earn trust and respect by being reliable, safe and having caring staff who you can get to young people gradually. We won’t assume how they feel – it’s up to them to tell us when the time is right.
We usually ask about three main topics; practical issues, emotional support and lifestyle.
PRACTICAL
We provide homes with all of the essential fixtures and fittings. They’re clean and decorated, with furniture, bedding, kitchen equipment, crockery, cutlery and utensils.
Our support workers want young people to gain practical skills whilst living at LCS – and to receive AQA accredited qualifications for doing so. These skills range from managing your money, how to deal with everyday tasks such as shopping and cleaning, to deciding to volunteer for a local charity or being a good neighbour.
We encourage young people to have a say in the way their home is run, the support we provide and the ways we help them learn to live independently, when the time comes. They’ll be matched with a suitable Keyworker - but they have a say in that too.
EMOTIONAL
Whether the young person is nervous or anxious, or whether they’re fine with moving in, we’ll make the introductions and get them settled in.
Our Keyworkers understand how bad experiences in the past – like loss, trauma and change – might affect young people, and can help work through it. We’ve worked with young people who don’t want our help, because they can’t trust us, or they’re embarrassed about needing help, or they’re worried about losing their home if they’re doing badly (or even doing too well).
When moving into a shared house, they’ll receive a warm welcome from the other young people. We wouldn’t have offered a place without thinking beforehand about whether they will get on with them.
LIFESTYLE
The important parts of how young people live their life probably vary more than anything else. Our keyworkers come from all walks of life too, although they are all trained to support young people, especially in dealing with experiences of trauma or loss.
Lifestyle includes everything from relationships with family and friends, local services or healthcare, to their college or employment, or hobbies and interests. We are ambitious for our young people and want them to succeed in life. We’ll make a plan that’s as unique as our young people to help with these things, alongside the structured support to learn independent living skills. We validate and celebrate their progress through the use of Outcomes Stars™.
Once settled in, we’ll create an Action Plan for the young person to achieve their Pathway Plan goals. We’ll celebrate every time the young person achieves something, big or small, starting with moving in, getting a warm welcome and starting to feel at home.