ORCHARD HOUSE
Therapeutic Community
with Education
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
INTRODUCTION
Orchard House is a Therapeutic Unit providing 24 hour care for up to 9 young males
between the ages of 12 and 18 years. We are one of the best-known and well-established
homes working with this client group. We continue to be at the forefront in the provision of
residential care for these difficult to place young people. Orchard House provides 52-week
care, with provides onsite full time education in its purpose built school and is DCSF
registered and judged Outstanding by Ofsted. We also provide a comprehensive therapy
programme including weekly individual and group therapy.
CARING FOR THE CHILDREN
APPROACH / PHILOSOPHY
Young people will come to Orchard House with varying life experiences, but commonly they
have often been subject to varying levels of trauma. They may have suffered sexual,
physical or emotional abuse. With the exposure to trauma and/or absence of secure
attachments, care or positive role models, such young people have not been given the
opportunity to develop normal, healthy and effective cognitions or behaviours; often
resorting to maladaptive ways of coping, such as harmful sexual behaviour. Their harmful
sexual behaviours have placed themselves and others at risk. Effectively, they are deprived
of the capacity to thrive in their own families, within their peer groups, within mainstream
schools or indeed ordinary care settings.
From our experience, the natural response from professionals when faced with such
complex need is of a feeling of panic, followed closely by the sense that something must be
done to support this young person. Efforts have generally been made in the past to tackle
their problems, but often with limited effect, due to the absence of support and
intervention that addresses both the internal and external worlds of the young person, such
as that of Orchard House which offers comprehensive therapeutic management of their
difficulties 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Orchard House does not claim to have all the answers, but experience tells us that the
majority of those placed with us can be helped. Young people can move forward in a
secure, structured, therapeutic environment and are able to make marked improvements in
their development and behaviour. We aim to help the young people to develop insight into
their experiences in order that they can move on from their often damaged traumatic past.
We support them as they take steps to make sense of their lives by providing clear and safe
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boundaries and achievable goals. This includes positive re-enforcement strategies such as
reward charts and free time.
Central to our work is the need to provide a high level of nurturing which ensures all the
basic needs of the young person are met to the highest standard. This includes providing a
home that has a warm and friendly atmosphere where great emphasis is placed on building
supportive relationships and positive attachments.
STATEMENT OF FACILITIES & SERVICES PROVIDED
The home occupies a large Edwardian building with comfortable living space for up to nine
young men. There is approximately one acre of grounds that comprise a large playing field,
basketball court and attractive gardens.
The home is set out on two floors. The first floor is home to nine bedrooms, one with an ensuite shower, which is used as a semi-independent unit. There are two bathrooms for the
use of the young people, both equipped with a shower cubicle, bath, toilet and washbasin.
The ground floor is occupied by a large comfortable living room with TV, a games room with
television sets for use with games consoles, and a good stock of board games, video tapes
and books for communal use. The dining room comfortably seats 12 people enabling staff,
boys and visitors to enjoy meals together.
The new kitchen is modern and fully equipped and also contains the dining room for all the
boys and staff during school time. All meals are prepared by the care staff, who receive
appropriate training in health & safety and food hygiene, with invited assistance from the
young people. There is also a laundry room equipped with two washing machines and a
tumble dryer. Staff en suite sleeping in room is also situated on the ground floor. In the
same corridor are 2 therapy rooms.
The main office is situated between the dining room and the new building. Within the office
is a securely locked medical cabinet and a lockable walk-in cupboard for the young people’s
case files and confidential records. The senior member of staff on duty holds the keys to the
office.
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LESUIRE
Orchard House offers an extensive range of leisure activities and trips. We have two people
carriers. Both vehicles are well maintained and fully insured.
Orchard House Staff encourage young people to explore different hobbies and interests.
Each day we have a group meeting where staff offer activities and the young people have
the chance to say what they would like to do. This may be anything from a game of
basketball in the garden to an ice-skating or bowling trip. We have an activity folder which
we add to regularly and which lists the information on a variety of activities.
During holiday periods we recognise the importance of relaxation alongside activities. In
the house the boys have their own music centres, a variety of board and computer games
and also videos and DVD’s to watch. (All games, computer games, DVD’s and videos are age
appropriate).
Where applicable, and during periods of permitted free time, our young persons are
encouraged to take part in their own choice of activity/interest.
During holiday periods the young people are offered activities that may be further afield,
such as trips to the Zoos, sightseeing in London, trips to the coast and adventure parks. Offsite risk assessments have been completed.
In the event that a young person continually opts out of activities, time spent by them on
computer games and watching TV will be limited to appropriate time scales by staff.
During the winter months when the weather is poor, staff will come on shift with ideas to
keep our young people occupied – these activities include cooking, card games, board
games, art and craft, theme nights and quiz nights.
At Orchard House we recognise the importance of celebrating events such as Birthdays,
Christmas, Easter and Bonfire Night. Staff and young people spend considerable time
arranging parties, cakes, BBQ’s, fireworks displays and making posters. The events are
enjoyable for everyone and the young people like to be included in every aspect. In the
event that a young person is excluded for religious reasons, alternatives will be arranged
with the young person in mind and with a minimum of fuss.
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CONSULTATION WITH YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT THE OPERATION OF THE HOME
As a therapeutic community young people are expected to take part in all aspects of
decision-making regarding the home. Specific requests can be made through their key
worker or any member of the management team; they can also be passed on through
therapy sessions. The young people also have regular opportunities to discuss their thoughts
and feelings about general issues regarding the home and their care.
This would be done in the following ways:
Daily meetings and handovers involving staff and young people
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Weekly house meetings in which all young people participate
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Key working sessions (weekly) where individual issues can be addressed
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In-house 3-monthly and six-monthly LAC statutory reviews where young people are
encouraged to participate in any planning
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The young people and their families also take part in the consultation process for the
monitoring of the home through Regulation 33. They have the opportunity to meet
either as a group or individually with the Independent Inspector every month and
their views and wishes form part of the report
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Young people are consulted about menu choices; these are taken into consideration
when writing house menus. Young people help to do the weekly food shopping and
prepare the meals, the menus reflecting the food choices which include cultural food
dietary requirements. All houses promote young people’s choices and encourage
diversity with foods, for example ‘themed cultural food nights’.
 Young people are aware that they themselves can call a community meeting at any
time as issues arise. If they require support to do this then all young people are aware
that staff are happy to take this role.
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CONTACT
The Children Act 1989 defines contact in broad terms:
 Where a child is in care, i.e. subject to a full care order, there is a presumption of
reasonable contact between the child and key adults
 Where a child is accommodated, the parents retain full parental responsibilities and
the local authority does not acquire parental responsibility. Therefore the wishes and
views of the parent must form the basis of the agreement reached about contact.
 The local authority must endeavour to promote contact for children being looked after
with
Parents
Any person with parental responsibility
Any relative, friend, or other person connected with the child
Staff at Orchard House have an important responsibility for ensuring that one of the main
thrusts of the Children Act 1989 is implemented. This is that parents remain as actively
involved as possible whilst their children are being looked after, and children are actively
encouraged to keep in touch, not only with parents, but their wider network of family and
friends. This is a key task for residential social workers.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONTACT BETWEEN YOUNG PEOPLE, PARENTS, RELATIVES &
FRIENDS
Contact arrangements for any young person placed at Orchard House are discussed in the
initial planning meeting. If it is felt that the young person may be exposed to any element of
risk, a decision will be made to have all the visits closely supervised; this may include the
monitoring of telephone calls.
At Orchard House we are committed to working alongside parents as far as is practicable
in the best interests of the young people placed here.
Young people placed at Orchard House come from a variety of backgrounds, some will have
been in the care system for a long time, and others may come directly from the family
home. Depending on individual situations, most of the young people will have contact of
one kind or another whether physical or by phone/letter with parents or a significant carer.
At Orchard House we recognise the importance of positive and consistent contact with
parents/carers and we actively encourage contact and involvement in the young person’s
care and well-being. Subject to social worker approval parents/carers are invited to visit
and phone on a regular basis, they are invited to attend reviews and will receive regular
progress reports from the staff. We make it clear to parents/carers that they are free to
phone staff at any time if they are worried about any aspect of their child’s placement, we
also make it clear to them that we hope to work as a team with them in the best interest of
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the young person accommodated, and that any information or advice they can give us will
be welcomed.
At times, for safety reasons, phone contact or visits with parents/carers needs to be
monitored by the staff team. This will be at the request of the social worker. Parents/carers
will be made fully aware that their calls/visits will be supervised and staff understand the
need to be sensitive and discreet during these times. Occasionally young people will have
only letter contact with parents/carers. Help is offered to any young person who struggles
academically and all letters are checked by staff prior to posting if there are issues of safety
to consider, this also applies to letters received by the young person.
Often parents/carers of the young people placed here have suffered some degree of family
trauma that may have led to their child being placed in care. Staff here recognise the
importance of a non-judgemental approach when working with parents/carers, and work
hard to ensure a positive working relationship between all parties. If it is felt to be
appropriate, and at the request of the placing authority, some degree of family therapy may
be undertaken by us, this is not offered as a matter of course as family therapy would not be
the way forward for all families.
In the event that a young person has come to us from another unit we would discuss in the
planning meeting an appropriate time span for continued contact that would ensure a
positive end to the previous placement with contact decreasing gradually so that the young
person does not feel “severed” from what has been his home.
Often we accommodate young people who have no family contact whatsoever and in these
circumstances we would recommend to the social worker that an independent visitor be
identified.
EQUALITY & DIVERSITY
Although sometimes used interchangeably, the terms “equality and “diversity” are not the
same.
Equality is about ‘creating a fairer society’, where everyone can participate and have the
opportunity to fulfil their potential. It is about identifying patterns of experience based on
group identity, and the challenging processes that limit individual’s ‘potential’ health and
life changes.
Diversity literally means ‘difference’. When it is used as a contrast or addition to equality, it
is about recognising individual as well as group differences, treating people as individuals
and placing positive value on diversity in the community and in the workforce.
EQUALITY OF CARE
Policy
Every young person shall receive equal care irrespective of their sexual orientation, cultural,
linguistic or religious background. When applicable, provision will be made to ensure that
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religious observances, dietary considerations, festivals etc. are recognised, facilitated and
catered for.
Specifics
Every young person should have specific areas addressed in their individual care
Programme. This responsibility falls on the Social Worker, however, the staff at Orchard
House are expected to initiate discussion if they believe that certain areas are being
overlooked, or if they believe that the local community does not have adequate facilities to
cater for individual needs.
Prejudice
Staff at Orchard House are expected to actively demonstrate unconditional positive regard,
tolerance, understanding and empathy with every individual in their care regardless of
race/colour, religion or sexual orientation. Prejudice usually stems from fear and ignorance
and every attempt should be made to combat any instances within the group. This should
take the form of educating rather than a stern lecture or sanction as this has a tendency to
entrench attitudes and breed resentment.
Discrimination, apart from being undesirable is, in some instances, illegal.
Any sexist or racist comments, practices, 'jokes' etc. will render the staff member liable to
disciplinary action and possible dismissal.
Therefore a commitment to Equality in addition to recognition of Diversity means that
different ‘can be equal’
MISSING CHILD POLICY
Young people who leave Orchard House without permission must always be the subject of
concern. It is acknowledged that each situation will be different with young people
invariably running from or to something. Frequent unauthorised absence is serious and
must be addressed promptly through emergency meetings with involved professionals and
in review meetings. Orchard House’s policies and procedures are designed to prevent young
people from going missing, leaving the home without permission and every effort is made to
ensure that young people remain safe and within the boundaries of the homes at all times.
The supervision policy at the home reduces the opportunities for young people to leave the
home without permission or without being noticed, this policy alongside the limited free
time the young people have ensures that when away from the house the young people are
with staff. Only young people who have built up a substantial level of trust are considered
for free time and this also reduces the likelihood that they will be away from the house,
without staff, for prolonged periods of time.
All staff are trained to a high standard in order to de-escalate situations and incidents where
there may be an increased risk of young people running away or leaving without permission.
They are encouraged to talk through their concerns with staff and can request contact with
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their placing authority, IRO and the management team if their worries and concerns
continue. All young people have access to individual therapy weekly and can request
increased contact if it is required. This prevention work goes a long way to manage the risk
both to the young people and to those in the wider community.
Due to nature of the young people in our care and the specialised work which is in progress
with them Orchard House work closely with the local police both in general terms and
through Public Protection Teams and MAPPA. The police hold a profile on each young
person which gives an overview of their risk and history and any links to other agencies,
such as MAPPA, YOS and CAMHS. In case of high risk young people additional information is
passed to police which will describe their access to the community through free time and
college. This information can be accessed by Police in the event that a young person goes
missing.
Definitions:
Sussex Police in agreement with Local Safeguarding Children Board Protocols have the
following definitions:
Missing – Anyone whose whereabouts cannot be established and where the circumstances
are out of character or the context suggests the person may be subject of a crime or at risk
of harm to themselves or another.
Absent – A person not at a place where they are expected or required to be.
There is a third definition which reflects the police’s increased issues with young people
being away from their placement, in April 2013 ACPO brought out guidance on how “young
people away from placement without permission” would be managed. Due to the nature of
the young people in our care it is unlikely that our young people would fall under this
category, however every effort is made by staff to return young people to the home in the
event that their whereabouts is known.
The decision to report a young person as missing or absent should not be taken in isolation.
Staff will consult with senior member of staff on duty. Each case must be decided on merit
and a formal missing person report to the police may be actioned earlier in some
circumstances than in others.
In determining the type of absence, reference should be made to the young person’s risk
assessment, profile and Care plan, together with known patterns of behaviour.
Further information on specific procedures in place for young people who are reported
missing from the home are to be found in the policies and procedures file.
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COUNTER BULLYING
The Oxford Concise Dictionary gives the following definition of bullying:“A bully is a person who uses his strength or power to hurt
or frighten others, to intimidate”.
Bullying is about intimidating, both in public and in private. It is designed to humiliate and
demean the individual, gradually eroding their sense of self-worth. Staff and fellow
residents can be responsible for bullying. Bullying can take place within the home, school
and during activities, or during family / outside contact. The following lists of behaviours,
which usually occur over a period of time, have been recognised as constituting bullying:
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Destructive innuendo and sarcasm
Aggression, including threats, shouting abuse and obscenities
Removing responsibilities without consultation
Deliberately ignoring and exclusion
Constant undervaluing
Setting up to fail
Unreasonable refusal of requests
Continuous berating/reprimanding of an individual in the presence of others or in
private
 Insulting and uncooperative attitude
The action taken will take into account the severity of the behaviour and the effects on the
complainant, together with the attitude of the alleged harasser or bully. Action could
include:
 Some form of disciplinary action
 An undertaking by the individual that the bullying will stop
 An apology and/or agreement to take part in awareness training
Should the bullying behaviour be perpetrated by staff the following action should be taken:
 Investigation
 If found to be true the disciplinary procedure should be followed
Should the bullying behaviour continue, or if the incident is not an isolated one, the
perpetrator will receive a three-day restriction of activities sanction and possible exclusion
from the rest of the group. The entire group devised this sanction in a house meeting. The
group would be consulted in a meeting before this particular sanction was imposed.
The young person responsible for bullying another will be offered suitable guidance in the
form of discussion in a group meeting, and the advice to take the issue into his individual
therapy session.
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SAFEGUARDING YOUNG PEOPLE
Introduction
The young people at Orchard House have been likely subjected to a history of abusive or
neglectful behaviour in their formative years, and due to the nature of the young people in
our care safeguarding takes an important role. Staff are aware of the safeguarding issues for
the young people in our care from point of referral and decisions made in regards to
contact, risk and therapy are taken with the best interest of the young person in mind.
Often the young people have come from a world of secrecy and manipulation, where they
have been unable or unwilling to talk openly about their experiences, both of an offending
nature and in regards to unsafe experiences they have had throughout their childhood. The
majority of the young people go on to make disclosures in regards to these experiences
once they have developed supportive relationships with the staff and therapy teams. These
disclosures are taken seriously and staff have set procedures to follow when managing this
type of incident. There are also four staff who have been trained as CPLO who will take a
major role in this work.
Orchard House are aware that in order to work through the therapeutic processes young
people need to feel safe and nurtured in their home environment. This work is paramount
to their successful commitment to therapy. The young people are encouraged to voice
concerns and have regular opportunities to meet with their key worker, the home manager
and others in order to discuss any issues or concerns they may have in regards to
Safeguarding. If requested young people can meet with their social Worker and discuss any
concerns with them.
It is as important to maintain the safety and security of those young people in our care as it
is to ensure the safety of others who may be at risk from them.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Staff Members
All members of staff have a responsibility to be aware of the procedures to be followed in
cases of suspected child abuse. Staff in regular contact with young people are well placed to
notice signs of physical, sexual or emotional abuse, neglect, behavioural change or failure to
develop as expected.
If a member of staff suspects a young person may be at risk, or hears a disclosure from a
young person the CPLO must be informed. Failure by a member of staff to report actual or
reasonably suspected abuse is a disciplinary offence. The member of staff will be required
to record the disclosure, which will then be passed to the Manager.
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It is a legal requirement to report to the police any evidence of children / young people
becoming involved in prostitution.
All staff at Orchard House are aware of the whereabouts of the Sussex Safeguarding
Children Procedure Manual and must sign in their induction that they know where to find it.
Each member of staff is given a copy of Orchard House’s Safeguarding Children Policy for
which they sign that they have read and understood its contents.
Further information and specific procedures are available in the Safeguarding Policy file and
is available on request.
Cultural, Linguistic and Religious needs of the young people
Cultural: The young people at Orchard House have come to us from a variety of
backgrounds; their understanding of their cultural identity can be limited and as part of the
key working and therapy programmes at Orchard House the young people are encouraged
and supported to explore their heritage and gain a clearer understanding of their
backgrounds, ethnicity and family culture.
Religious: Orchard House recognises that people hold many different religious beliefs and
will actively encourage all the young people residing here to follow their chosen faith, with
efforts made by the staff to help them do so.
Listed below are places of worship for differing religious beliefs:
Apple Orchard recognises that people hold many different religious beliefs and will actively
encourage all the young people residing here to follow their chosen faith, with efforts made
by the staff to help them do so.
Listed below are places of worship for differing religious beliefs:
Horsham Methodist Church
London Road
Horsham
West Sussex
RH12 1AN
St John Roman Catholic Church
Church Road
Broadbridge Heath
Horsham
West Sussex
RH12 3LD
01403 265238
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Christina Science Church
Reading Room,
Guildford Road
Horsham
West Sussex RH12 1LU
01403 241354
Ahmadiyya Muslim Association
15 Monksfield
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 1PS
01293 403762
Jehovah’s Witness
Kingdom Hall
Barnfield Road
Northgate
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 8DS
01293 525902
Quakers Religious Society of Friends
Meeting House
Worthing Road
Horsham
West Sussex
RH12 1SL
01403 252309
Any additional faiths will be catered for on request.
Linguistic: The young people here engage, as part of their placement, in Education through
our school. Any additional needs will be identified throughout their placement and catered
for with external support if necessary, this work is completed in conjunction with their
placing authority. We have experience in working with young people with a wide range of
educational needs and have assisted them to improve and develop their understanding and
use of language. We have also had experience of working with young people with hearing
impairment.
CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION
Orchard House is a therapeutic unit providing 24 hour care for up to nine young males aged
between 12 – 18.
Young people are placed at Orchard House for a minimum of one year, unless the
placement irrevocably breaks down. We work specifically with young people who have
displayed harmful sexual behaviour and who may have been abused themselves.
The young people placed here will have a range of complex emotional needs, all of which
can be met by our experienced staff team. Most of the young people will have special
educational needs, which again can be met in our education unit, where classes are small (78 pupils) and a lot of one-to-one support is given. The National Curriculum is followed as
well as the opportunity to achieve GCSE’s and nationally recognised qualifications. There
are also opportunities for the young people to engage in further education in a range of
subjects by accessing local further education colleges.
Although we cannot offer support for profound disabilities, we do work with young people
displaying a range of special needs including Dyspraxia and mild – moderate learning
disabilities. These include ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome and young people whose behaviour
falls on the Autistic Spectrum.
Due to the nature of the work we do we are unable to offer emergency placements.
The criteria of admission must be that all young people display or have displayed harmful
sexual behaviour. It is also important for the wok at Orchard House that the young people
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see this placement as a viable option to them, and that they agree to the terms of the
placements and to engage in the therapeutic process.
All young people will have an opportunity to visit the home and to meet the staff and other
young people resident, within this visit the process of the placement will be explained and
the young people will be given a full understanding of the therapeutic process.
If all parties are in agreement, then the young person will be offered a week’s assessment at
the home, where they will move in and spend one week living at the home, attending school
and have an opportunity to meet their allocated therapist. After this week’s assessment a
meeting is held to gather the views of all involved and if suitable, a young person will be
offered a permanent place at the home.
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COMPLAINTS & PROTECTION
All young persons and their families, where appropriate, are given a copy of this procedure
as part of the Admission process.
Young people will be able to voice their complaints both major and minor: 
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During scheduled group meetings or by calling a special meeting
Discussions with their keyworker
Taking it to the senior member of staff on duty
Talking to any member of the management team – Barbara Sharp, Kathy Dodd,
Matt Wakeling, Mark Riglar, or the owners - John Silvester and Steve Thomson.
To the therapist
To their social worker or independent reviewing officer (IRO)
If the matter cannot be resolved at this stage then, providing the issue can wait, the
Manager or a representative will give the young person a private interview and make a
written statement about the core issues of the complaint. This must take place within 24
hours of the initial complaint being made. Any complaint addressed as serious will be fully
actioned within a maximum of 28 days and the young person is to be kept informed of the
progress. Any person who is the subject of a formal complaint will not take any
responsibility in responding to the complaint. In most cases a much shorter period of time
will elapse. It may be decided with the young person’s consent to involve other members of
staff in an attempt to resolve the matter by negotiation.
If there are any complaints in regards to the welfare or safety of the young person, then the
local Safeguarding Board Procedures will be enforced.
If the complainant feels that Barbara Sharp, Kathy Dodd or the owners of Orchard House
cannot resolve the complaint they may write a letter or telephone
Complaints
Ofsted
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD
Tel: 0300 123 1231
Orchard House URN SC068272
Addressed envelopes are available for the young people on their notice board. Ask in the
office for a stamp. The notice board also contains the contact details for Child line, NSPCC
and The Children’s Rights Directorate.
It the young person remains dissatisfied with the outcome, the manager, or a
representative, will contact the young person’s social worker at the earliest opportunity,
inform them of the young person’s complaint and request a visit. If the social worker is
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unable to resolve the matter then it is expected that their department’s complaints
procedure will be evoked.
At any stage the young person may wish to short circuit this process and contact his social
worker directly. No attempt should be made to either block or dissuade the young person
from taking this option.
Once a complaint has been brought to the attention of the management team they will
ensure that a written account of the complaint is recorded; this will be taken from the
young person or persons making the complaint. The date, nature and any action taken must
be recorded. Following this, once an outcome has been reached this will also be recorded.
A complaint by a young person must be seen as an attempt by them to take control of their
life and environment. Staff should see this as a positive act and respond accordingly.
Orchard House will encourage and support any young person making a complaint, whether
it is to do with aspects of living at Orchard House or with Social Services.
Families and carers of young people will be able to voice their complaints both major and
minor:
 During scheduled Review meetings both statutory and in house
 In writing to the home manager or any member of the management team – Barbara
Sharp, Kathy Dodd or the owners – John Silvester and Steve Thomson
 In writing to the young person’s Social worker
On receipt of a written letter of complaint Orchard House has eight weeks to investigate and
respond to the details contained within the complaint.
What will happen next?
1. We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within three days
of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure.
2. We will then investigate your complaint.
3. You will then be invited to a meeting to discuss and hopefully resolve your
complaint.
4. Orchard House will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions agreed
with you.
5. If you do not want a meeting or it is not possible, Orchard House will send you a
detailed written reply to your complaint, including suggestions for resolving the
matter.
6. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will
arrange for someone unconnected with the matter at Orchard House to review the
decision.
7. We will write to you confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining
our reasons.
8. If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact Ofsted.
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AIMS & OBJECTIVES OF THE HOME
Aims
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To provide a safe, secure and nurturing environment for up to nine males between the
ages of twelve and eighteen.
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To promote and help out young people build their self-esteem and start to value
themselves.
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To provide education for up to nine young people of school age.
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To provide ongoing assessment and therapy as deemed appropriate by professionals
working with individual young people.
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To fulfil the obligations of the care plan initiated by the involved and concerned
professionals conjointly with the young person.
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To promote control of decision-making and responsibility.
Outcomes and how they are achieved
Orchard House provides residential placements for young males who display a range of
emotional and behavioural difficulties. These include harmful sexual behaviour, verbally
and physically abusive behaviour, substance abuse and self-mutilation. They will possess a
range of feelings including isolation, mistrust, anger, betrayal, powerlessness and low selfesteem. They may have failed in a number of mainstream or special educations facilities.
The residents of Orchard House are themselves abusers of other children. Orchard House as
a therapeutic community takes special interest in these young people.
During the referral and induction process a detailed assessment of each young person’s
history and experiences is made. This will include any experiences of abuse. There is a
graduated approach to the care and therapy of the young people within the home which is
dependent on their age and level of understanding. Young people who are placed at
Orchard House are supported by staff to engage in appropriate therapy and to gradually
learn the skills they require to live safely and independently in the wider community when it
becomes appropriate for them. Orchard Houses prides itself in creating a homely
environment for the young people and provide high levels of support for the young people.
Staff are skilled in providing a nurturing environment for the young people to develop
emotional resilience and positive relationships with each other and the adults who care for
16
them. Attention is paid to the young people’s age and level of understanding and emotional
intelligence and care plans are devised in order to reflect the young people’s levels of ability
and understanding and their learning styles.
Therapeutic approaches at Orchard House are those which address a variety of
inappropriate behaviour and may be aimed at managing anger, analysing the cycle of
abusive behaviour, reducing denial, instilling inhibitors and correcting cognitive
dysfunctions. The young people have risk assessments completed every 6 months in order
to identify the level of their risk and the outcomes of work completed with them.
Our philosophy when working with these damaged young people is one of hope and a belief
that changes can be made by the individual. We believe that by offering a caring and
supportive environment, along with consistent boundaries, young people can achieve their
full potential and move more safely and positively into adulthood.
The therapists, in working with the young people on their harmful sexual behaviours, use a
cognitive behavioural approach as the core of therapeutic intervention. This enables the
young people to explore the links between their thoughts, feelings and behaviour, both in
the present and with reference to their harmful sexual behaviour from the past. The aims
of this work are to help the young people identify triggers and learned responses in order
for them to use new and better ways of coping with difficulties at the earliest opportunity.
Individual therapy follows a structured programme of work, which is guided by the common
elements found in four current risk assessments frameworks.
The emphasis is on the young person taking responsibility for what he has done, but not
without recognising contributing factors from his upbringing and traumatic past
experiences.
In addition, methods from various psychodynamic and systemic approaches are employed
to assist the young people to recognise circular patterns in their relationships and to
interrupt negative sequences in their behaviour. The overarching aim in this work is to help
the young people to take responsibility for themselves and their lives, and learn to exercise
control over undesirable sexual behaviours in order to live more safely in the community.
Therapeutic input is overseen and carried out by Orchard House’s therapists Pete Thomason
and Dr Sanjit Saraw, who receive external supervision on a regular basis.
17
CHILDREN'S RIGHTS
The young people at Orchard House are encouraged to be aware of and value their rights as
a child, an individual and ensure that their thoughts and feelings are heard and respected by
those caring for them. All young people have access to literature which may support this
practice and have opportunities to voice their thoughts, feelings and concerns whenever
they arise. In our experience the young people placed with us are often unaware of the
rights they have and the opportunities for them to exercise those rights.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child has 54 articles (sections), and most of these
articles list a different right that children have, and different responsibilities that the
Government, and others, have to make sure that children have these rights.
This includes:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
18
Making sure that children are equal
Children’s best interests
Parent’s rights and right to family life
Right to have an identity
Having your opinions heard
Freedom of expression and getting information
Freedom of thought and religion
Freedom to gather together and join organisations
Protection from violence, exploitation, abuse, neglect and
maltreatment
Health
Benefits
Standard of living
Education:
Rest and leisure
Work
Drugs
Sexual abuse
Abduction
Harm to you
Torture
Detention
Joining the army
Recovery from abuse
Children not living with their parents
Adoption
Refugee children
Children with disabilities
Children from minority groups
Children who have broken the law
Alongside these rights the young people at Orchard House are encouraged to have an
understanding of their rights:
 To be valued as an individual
 To be treated with dignity and respect
 To be in a safe, caring environment in which I can develop as an individual
 To learn how to care for myself and others
 To know my feelings and my views, and those of my family, are important
 To education, and of access to a curriculum appropriate to my needs
 To be supported in my contact with my home and community
 To have equality of opportunity
 To receive medical attention in the event of illness or accident
 To play, and to have recreation and other social activities
 To have the right of appeal in the event of deprivation or harm
Any young person who wishes to get more information on their rights, complaints and
issues or help to understand or manage a difficult situation will be guided both by staff,
their Social Worker and can have access to Rights 4 Me - the official website for the Office
for the Children's Rights Director for England (OCRD). Staff also have access to information
from this website which is available to all young people.
19
HEALTH
The young people at Orchard House receive the highest level of care and this includes their
health, both physical and emotional. The programme at Orchard House is designed to
respond to the individuals needs and to create a safe environment where the young people
can grow, fulfil their potential and develop emotional resilience alongside with physical
fitness and well-being.
The home has long established links to local health services and all young people will be
registered with a GP, dentist and opticians on their arrival. Staff work with the placing
authority to ensure that annual medicals are completed and any recommendations are
responded to. The young people have access where appropriate to hospital and other
health services including CAMHS and Sexual Health services.
The specialist Nurse for Looked After Children based at Worthing Hospital has strong links
with the home. She is responsible for all our young people’s LAC medicals, which take place
annually and is also available for medical advice and support, linking the staff in with other
medical services if required.
All young people at the home have an allocated therapist who will respond to their
therapeutic needs and requirements.
Individual Therapy
Individual Therapy at Orchard House continually evolves so that the young people benefit
from a therapeutic programme based on the most up to date and relevant theories and
research.
The specific needs of each young person are at the heart of everything we do. With the
“Good Lives Model” at the core, a variety of therapeutic methodologies is used flexibly
throughout the young person’s placement. These are all adapted to what is assessed as
most suitable any given time. This demands a highly-skilled approach from our expert
therapists to ensure that transparent, open and agreed aims regarding the young person’s
harmful sexual behaviour are achieved via an attentive, genuine and nurturing relationship.
Through our Outreach Service, Individual therapy can be continued for an agreed period
during the transitional stage at the end of a young person’s placement.
Each young person is seen for one hour each week for individual therapy. In the absence of
convincing evidence that any particular treatment model is more clinically effective, (Mc
Crory 2011) our interventions draw from various therapeutic approaches such as but not
exclusively, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy 1, Attachment Theory 2, Transactional Analysis
3, and Mentalization 4. These are used in accordance with the young person’s presenting
needs. The goals of therapy are openly created between the young person and therapist
with a principle objective being to achieve the aims collaboratively. Therapy sessions
20
sometimes include the young person’s keyworker to ensure that the issues covered and
goals set in individual therapy are generalised into other areas of the young person’s
placement. Sometimes, especially at the beginning of a placement, it is necessary to use
specific therapeutic skills to address particular problems such as P.T.S.D and other trauma
symptoms, Depression, self-harm, G. A.D. and O.C.D. and so forth before any focus on
sexual harm can commence
CBT is based on the ideas that how we think (cognition), how we feel (emotion) and how we
act (behaviour) all interact together. Specifically, our thoughts determine our feelings and
our behaviour. Therefore, negative and unrealistic thoughts can cause us distress and result
in problems. When a person suffers with psychological distress, the way in which they
interpret situations becomes skewed, which in turn has a negative impact on the actions
they take. CBT aims to help people become aware of when they make negative
interpretations, and of behavioural patterns which reinforce the distorted thinking. CBT is,
in fact, an umbrella term for many different therapies that share some common elements.
Two of the earliest forms of Cognitive behavioural Therapy were Rational Emotive
Behaviour Therapy (REBT), developed by Albert Ellis in the 1950s, and Cognitive Therapy,
developed by Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s.
The cognitive behavioural therapist teaches clients how to identify distorted cognitions
through a process of evaluation. The clients learn to discriminate between their own
thoughts and reality. They learn the influence that cognition has on their feelings, and they
are taught to recognize observe and monitor their own thoughts.
The behaviour part of the therapy involves setting homework for the client to do (e.g.
keeping a diary of thoughts). The therapist gives the client tasks that will help them
challenge their own irrational beliefs. The idea is that the client identifies their own
unhelpful beliefs and them proves them wrong. As a result, their beliefs begin to change.
(McLeod 2008)
Attachment Theory “The study of pre-adolescent onset SHB in boys is a relatively recent
development, but evidence is now emerging from perspectives ranging from neuroscience
to qualitative case analysis to suggest that a complex interweave of factors helps explain
why some children begin to display this worrying behaviour while others do not. Neglect
and maltreatment (often including sexual abuse) experienced within the family is a core
influence on child development, in particular on closely linked relational faculties of
attachment and sexuality. Genetic predisposition (Caspi et al, 2002) and unresolved trauma
suffered by a parent, in particular the mother (Skuse et al, 1998), tend to erode resilience to
maltreatment in boys. This results in disorganised/disoriented attachment in infancy, and a
diminished capacity to contain emotions and to reflect on them. Subsequently, in childhood
they adopt externalised coercive strategies to manage relationships.” (Hawkes 2009)
21
Transactional Analysis (TA) is both a theory of personality and an organized system of
interactional therapy. It is grounded on the assumption that we make current decisions
based on past premises—premises that were at one time appropriate to our survival needs
but that may no longer be valid.. The goal of transactional analysis is autonomy, which is
defined as awareness, spontaneity, and the capacity for intimacy. In achieving autonomy
people have the capacity to make new decisions (redecide), thereby empowering
themselves and altering the course of their lives. As a part of the process of TA therapy,
clients learn how to recognize the three ego states—Parent, Adult, and Child—in which they
function. Clients also learn how their current behaviour is being affected by the rules they
received and incorporated as children and how they can identify the “lifescript” that is
determining their actions. This approach focuses on early decisions that each person has
made, and it stresses the capacity of clients to make new decisions to change aspects of
their lives that are no longer working. TA emphasizes the cognitive and behavioural aspects
of the therapeutic process. (Cory 2009)
Mentalization, “or better mentalizing, is the process by which we make sense of each other
and ourselves, implicitly and explicitly, in terms of subjective states and mental processes. It
is a profoundly social construct in the sense that we are attentive to the mental states of
those we are with, physically or psychologically”. (Bateman and Fonagy 2010. See
Mentalization Based Therapy-MBT)
Good Lives Model
In conjunction with the full assessment and I.C.O.N. document, Orchard House uses the
Good Lives Model (GLM) in order to help structure the young person’s therapeutic aims.
For further information on GLM please visit www.goodlives.com from which the following
was taken.
The GLM is grounded in the ethical concept of human dignity (see Ward and Syversen, 2009)
and universal human rights, and as such it has a strong emphasis on human agency. That is,
the GLM is concerned with individuals’ ability to formulate and select goals, construct plans,
and to act freely in the implementation of these plans. A closely related assumption is the
basic premise that offenders, like all humans, value certain states of mind, personal
characteristics, and experiences, which are defined in the GLM as primary goods. Following
an extensive review of psychological, social, biological, and anthropological research, Ward
and colleagues (e.g., Ward and Brown 2004; Ward and Marshall 2004) first proposed nine
classes of primary goods. Empirical research performed by Purvis in 2006 (published in
2010) tested these aetiological assumptions and actually found that relatedness and
22
community required separation, as did excellence in play and excellence in work, thus
producing eleven classes of primary goods. These are now defined as:
1. Life (including healthy living and functioning)
2. Knowledge (how well informed one feels about things that are important to them)
3. Excellence in play (hobbies and recreational pursuits)
4. Excellence in work (including mastery experiences)
5. Excellence in agency (autonomy and self-directedness)
6. Inner peace (freedom from emotional turmoil and stress)
7. Relatedness (including intimate, romantic, and familial relationships)
8. Community (connection to wider social groups)
9. Spirituality (in the broad sense of finding meaning and purpose in life)
10. Pleasure (the state of happiness or feeling good in the here and now)
11. Creativity (expressing oneself through alternative forms).
Recent empirical research which tested the original aetiological assumptions of the GLM
provided comprehensive support for the model’s aetiological underpinnings (see Purvis,
2006; 2010). In testing these assumptions, this research also found that there are actually
two primary routes that lead to the onset of offending: direct and indirect. The direct
pathway is implicated when an offender actively attempts (often implicitly) to satisfy
primary goods through his or her offending behaviour. For example, an individual lacking
the competencies to satisfy the good of intimacy with an adult might instead attempt to
meet this good through sexual offending against a child. The indirect pathway is implicated
when, through the pursuit of one or more goods, something goes awry which creates a
ripple or cascading effect leading to the commission of a criminal offence. For example,
conflict between the goods of intimacy and autonomy might lead to the break-up of a
relationship, and subsequent feelings of loneliness and distress. Maladaptive coping
strategies such as the use of alcohol to alleviate distress might, in specific circumstances,
lead to a loss of control and culminate in sexual offending (Ward, Mann et al., 2007).
23
Family Therapy
Working with families is a vital aspect of the young person’s therapy. Family Therapy at
Orchard House is a focused programme which aims to address the young person’s harmful
sexual behaviour in the context of his upbringing and early experiences whilst offering
support to the family.
Structured Therapeutic Family Work
“Engaging with the parents and families of children and young people who have shown
harmful sexual behaviours is not a luxury to be tagged onto the end of programmes of
individual work with their child. Intervention with families is at least as important as
individual work with the child. Approaches to families should not allow the abuse to go
unchallenged, but blaming and deficit approaches are not effective. Most families, even
where there are multiple problems, have some strength upon which professionals should
build. Helping to raise parents’ self-esteem and their sense of self-efficacy is often the key to
positive family change and good outcomes for children”. (Hackett 2004)
At Orchard House we pride ourselves on our holistic approach. Whilst we endeavour to
ensure that each young person builds on their relationships with their family as an integral
part of what we do, there are times when extra support is needed for the young person and
his family. Often it is appropriate and necessary to offer as an addition, Therapeutic Family
Work to augment the therapy of the young person. Such work is carried out independently
to the young person’s therapy and is arranged separately according to the need of each
young person. Therapeutic Family Work draws from Systemic Family Therapy approaches
and Narrative therapy and consists of between six to ten sessions depending on the
strength of relationship between the family members.
“The systemic perspective is to always take account of the full range of systems that can be
seen as nesting inside each other. It is this orientation that has led the field to place a high
priority on working with all aspects of diversity and to be concerned with issues of power
and difference such as the impact of migration, economic hardship, and racism. Systemic
practice may be with an individual, a couple, a family, a group of families, professional
systems and other wider contexts”. (Stratton 2011)
Assessment
A full assessment report, including psychometric outcomes is prepared in collaboration
with each young person, to identify therapeutic needs and potential for further involvement
in harmful sexual behaviour. Formal assessments are re-administered mid and post
treatment.
24
Therapy Reports are presented to L.A.C. reviews throughout the young person’s placement
to ensure that relevant agencies are continually informed of the young person’s needs and
progress.
Residential, Education and Therapy teams contribute to the I.C.O.N. (Identifying Current and
Ongoing Needs) framework in line with the Every Child Matters principles, the Good Lives
Model and S.M.A.R.T. objectives.
Assessment
Assessment week
During the assessment week prior to the beginning of the permanent placement, the young
person meets the therapist with whom they will work. Therapy and assessment are
explained to the young person and motivation is assessed. The young person is invited to
ask questions about the process of therapy and express his thoughts about beginning his
placement at Orchard House. The content and structure of the assessment is organised
during this stage.
Assessment of therapeutic need and risk of harmful sexual behaviour
During the first six to nine weeks of the young person starting his placement at Orchard
House a full assessment is made which draws from a range of psychometric measures and
risk assessment frameworks all of which are selected specifically for their relevance in
relation to working with young people who exhibit harmful sexual behaviour. Psychometric
testing is used to assess young people against measurable milestones in their placement
and engagement/progress in therapy. Each assessment is individually tailored to the needs
of the young person
At the end of this period a report is created which details the young person’s therapeutic
needs and their potential for involvement in further harmful sexual behaviour. This report
guides intervention for the following twelve months when relevant psychometric measures
are re-administered. Therapy Reports are presented to bi-annual statutory reviews to
ensure that relevant agencies are continually informed of the young person’s progress.
Approximately six months before the end of the young person’s time with Orchard House,
an End of Placement Summary is created which draws from an evaluation of the
assessments made throughout the young person’s stay, to outline the young person’s
progress and help define future needs.
25
I.C.O.N. (Identifying Current and Ongoing Needs)
This is the assessment and intervention framework for all young people at Orchard House.
All disciplines contribute to its completion and it is reviewed in collaboration with the young
person, therapist Head of School and his keyworker.
The I.C.O.N. document incorporates the Care Plan, Good Lives Model, Psychometric
outcomes and Personal Education Plan. The process of completing I.C.O.N. allows each
young person to identify and agree a series of S.M. A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measurable,
Achievable, Realistic, Time-limited) on which to focus over a twelve week period.
Working in this way enables the young person to take smaller steps toward a broader aim
and helps him to maintain a sense of direction and achievement. The young person is
therefore placed firmly at the centre of a continually updated and transparent assessment
of individual need, with clearly recognisable targets for change.
I.C.O.N. adheres to the five outcomes for young people from the Every Child Matters
framework; Be healthy, Stay safe, Enjoy and achieve, Make a positive contribution and
Achieve economic well-being, and is informed by the National Minimum Standards for
Children’s Homes. This means that the needs of all young people at Orchard House are
identified and met both in relation to their general care and their specific therapeutic goals
throughout the whole of their placement. The young person’s progress in relation to the
aims identified in I.C.O.N. is recorded in I.C.O.N.’s “Progress Tracker” every 12 weeks via
Orchard House’s internal reviews and L.A.C. review meetings.
Group Therapy
The effectiveness of working with young people in groups has long been recognised as
having a particular value with young people who exhibit harmful sexual behaviour
Weekly Group Therapy has a structured programme consisting of four core modules each
with a specific topic formulated from research regarding static and dynamic risk and
strength variables associated with harmful sexual behaviour. The programme content is
continually reviewed to include up to date research. Every session strives to be relevant to
the group’s current difficulties but ensures ultimately, that a focus on harmful sexual
behaviour is maintained. There are three separate groups that run at Orchard House. Two
groups are arranged by the young peoples’ ability to engage in therapy, level of functioning
and their individual needs, while a third group is specifically for young people who are much
more able to show an increased level of maturity and often are looking toward the end of
their placement.
26
At Orchard House, each young person attends group therapy for one and a half hours per
week in addition to individual therapy.
The effectiveness of working with young people in groups has long been recognised and it
has a particular value with this client group. (Carrell, 1993, Dwivedi, 1993; Duboust & Knight,
Malekoff, 2004; Perkins et al, 1999).
Researchers have identified some benefits and clinical advantages of group therapy for
young people. These include the following:
•
Interaction between individuals that can be utilised to facilitate change;
•
The reduction of the likelihood of a therapist entering a collusive relationship with a
client;
•
Group interactions can help young people to become more open about abuserelated thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and by doing so, begin to address previously
unresolved feelings of guilt, anger and anxiety;
•
A safe and supportive group can provide an environment in which new skills and
ways of thinking can be learned, practiced and developed;
•
Group Therapy can provide therapists with valuable insights into participants’
motivation to change, since participation in a group typically requires public
acknowledgement that there are problems needing to be addressed;
•
The group setting affords an environment in which young people who have
difficulties in expressing emotions and experiences can learn from others, whilst developing
competency in self-disclosure.
•
Groups can reduce a sense of isolation; particularly for young people whose problem
has a degree of social stigma;
•
Important interpersonal and social skills can be effectively learned and practiced in a
group setting;
•
Groups allow a range of experiential activities which actively engage young people
but may not be practical within adult-child interactions;
•
Peer relationships and positive reinforcement are considered to be particularly
effective with adolescents
27
Outreach
The notion of continuing care and support is well established within modern family life with
the average age for young people leaving home now around 23 years of age. However such
ideas do not follow with young people in the care system. Far too often young people in
care are at risk of experiencing feelings of abandonment and loss as a result of their looked
after care status ending abruptly, with significantly reduced levels of support occurring
almost immediately.
At Orchard House we aim to prepare young people for such transitions and their journey
toward adulthood and wherever possible ease them into life outside of care. Such a holistic
approach places therapy at its core with progress in therapy ideally mirroring the stage each
young person is at in their placement. Obviously all young people progress and develop
differently and some young people would benefit from the consistency of therapy once they
have actually left Orchard House. The therapy team can offer continuing intervention
programmes on an individual basis (subject to additional funding) to ensure young people
receive the best support possible to integrate successfully into their community, to further
generalise and root coping strategies and hence resist from sexually harmful or other
dysfunctional behaviours.
Risk Assessment
Throughout their placement the young people engage in bi-annual risk assessments using
the MEGA assessment model. MEGA or Multiplex Empirically Guided Inventory of Ecological
Aggregates for Assessing Sexually Abusive Adolescents and Children (Ages 4-19) (MiccioFonseca, 2006) is a conceptually designed, ecologically based tool for: (a) assessing risk for
coarse sexual improprieties and/or sexually abusive behaviours in youth ages 4 to 19, be
they adjudicated youth or non-adjudicated; and (b) evaluating progress of the youth every 6
months in terms of increased or decreased risk, thus an outcome measure. MEGA assesses
risk for youth ages 4 to 19 years, for male and female, and for youth who have low
intellectual functioning.
MEGA was validated (2006-2008) and cross-validated (2008-2011) on sizeable samples (N =
1184 and N =1056 respectively.
The MEGA validation and cross-validation research study sites were national and
international. Validation sites were in Arizona, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, and
Canada. Cross- validation sample included 13 research sites: USA = Kentucky (Department of
Juvenile Justice), California (San Diego, Sacramento, Stockton, Inland Empire, Riverside,
Berkeley, and Oakland). International = Canada (London, Ontario), England (Liverpool,
London), and Scotland (Glasgow).
28
MEGA’s four distinct Scales include: Risk Scale (internal consistency reliability=.81) – the
overall risk of the youth, consists of static and dynamic items, alerts for the most serious
youth; findings demonstrated prognostic utility. Protective Scale (internal consistency
reliability=.78) – provides a profile of protective variables specifically related to the
reduction of risk for coarse sexual improprieties and/or sexually abusive behaviours.
Estrangement Scale (internal consistency reliability=.79) – addresses family’s sexual history;
provides information regarding self-regulation and the youth’s relationships with others.
Persistent Sexual Deviancy Scale (internal consistency reliability=.74) – gives information on
progression, and level of sophistication of sexual behaviours, relationship to victims, and
age disparity.
MEGA’s Scales provide an idiosyncratic profile of the youth’s risk level (Low, Moderate,
High, and Very High). MEGA is an outcome measure, adaptive to the youth’s developmental
changes over time, and offering opportunities for follow-up and longitudinal research.
The young people engage in the therapeutic process well and report positive changes to
their behaviour, understanding, self-image and esteem and the ability to lower their risk and
engage in activities which are designed to work towards Independence.
Therapist Qualifications and External Supervision
Role
Qualifications
Membership Experience
Senior
Consultant
Psychotherapist
CQSW
HG Dip
GHGI
PG Dip in CBT
CYP
BACP
HGI
NOTA
ETSI
BABCT
21
Forensic
Psychologist
BSc Hons.
Psychology
Masters /
Doctorate in
Forensic
Psychology
Advanced
Diploma in
Integrative
Counselling and
Therapy
RSA Counselling
Skills
BPS
BACP
7
Group Therapy
Facilitator
29
-
8
External
Supervision
N/A
CHILDREN'S BEHAVIOUR
SURVEILLANCE
The young people placed at Orchard House pose a risk both to themselves and to others and
this is not limited to the wider community. We take the process of surveillance seriously,
but approach it in a very human way; this allows the young people to develop an ongoing
dialogue with staff in regards to their harmful sexual behaviour and their risk. There are no
cameras or CCTV on site and there are no recordings of electronic monitoring which is
present. The following procedures are in place in the home:
 All bedrooms belonging to the young people are electronically alarmed by way of
bleepers on their doors. This is for safety purposes and enables staff to be aware of
the boy’s movements at all times.
 In addition to this we have plug-in speaker monitors that are placed on the upstairs
landing and linked to the dining area for the benefit of the waking-night staff. We
also have movement alarms located on the upstairs landing and in the main area
downstairs, outside the bedrooms.
 The alarm system and the reasons for having it are explained to the young people,
along with issues of safety, prior to admission.
 The placing authority consents to the use of electronic monitoring and a record of
this consent is kept in the young person’s file.
METHODS OF PERMITTED DISCIPLINARY MEASURES
The Children Act 1989
It is recognised that some form of sanction will be necessary where there are instances of
behaviour which would in any family of group environment reasonably be regarded as
unacceptable. Often such unacceptable behaviour can be prevented by the use of
diversionary tactics or verbal reprimand.
Staff at Orchard House are expected to manage and control the young person by the
strength of their personal relationships. The need for sanctions is much reduced by clearly
setting out the boundaries of acceptable behaviour and achieving tight levels of consistency
throughout the staff team. Acceptable behaviour should always be noticed and encouraged
as a normal part of the day-to-day living at Orchard House.
30
The imposition of formal disciplinary measures should be used sparingly and in most cases
only after repeated use of informal measures have proved ineffective. There should be a
system of rewards as well as sanctions. Where sanctions are felt to be necessary, good
professional practice indicates that these should be contemporaneous, relevant, and above
all, just.
In Line with “The Children’s Homes regulations 2001(amendments) 2011” (17.1) No
measure of control and discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph
5 shall be used at any time on children accommodated in a children’s home.
According to the Children Act 1989, section 22 (7), regulation 8, prohibits the use of various
disciplinary measures including corporal punishment, deprivation of food or sleep,
inappropriate clothing and restriction of visits or phone calls, the use or the withholding of
medication or medical / dental treatment, the use of accommodation to physically restrict
the liberty of any young person, i.e. locking in bedroom. Under no circumstances are any of
the above measures to be used by staff with any young person’s residing at Orchard House.
If it is felt that a sanction is warranted the young person should be informed immediately. If
at all possible the sanction should be completed on the same day. The only sanctions that
are permissible at Orchard House are as follows:-
a)
The withdrawal of an extra privilege such as an extended bedtime.
b)
Exclusion from group activities.
c)
The imposition of a chore. This must never detract from the dignity of the young
person and should have a purposeful object.
d)
Making reparation for damaged property out of pocket money - never more than
2/3 of their entitlement.
e)
Increased supervision. This will emphasise the lack of trust that staff may have in a
young person at that particular time. It should be for a limited period which should be
strictly adhered to.
All sanctions are recorded in the discipline book, which include the date, time and location
of the use of the control measure, the name of the person issuing the sanction and any
31
other staff present, the effectiveness of the sanction, any injury to the young person
caused during the behaviour, the young person’s comment and signature and the
signature of the home manager or their deputy.
The management team at Orchard House will ensure that all staff are aware of the
measures which are acceptable, the extent of their discretion in administering them and the
requirement to record their use on each occasion.
For more serious incidents the following sanctions apply. Please note that these can only be
issued by a senior member of staff.
a)
Participation in a sexual incident - 1 week of restricted activities.
b)
Bullying / targeting of other young person - 3 days of restricted activities.
c)
Incidents of racism - 1 week restricted activities.
The above sanctions were agreed and put in place by the whole community.
Orchard House believes in a non-punitive approach and with this in mind, we have an
ongoing incentive scheme which encourages our young persons to earn prizes / privileges
for acceptable behaviour. Points are earned on a day-to -day basis and totalled weekly.
Prizes / privileges are awarded accordingly. We have found that fewer sanctions are
necessary because often the loss of incentive points is enough to encourage the young
person to rethink his behaviour. Thoughts and ideas for the scheme are regularly reviewed
and the whole group enjoy taking part in the incentive charts.
32
THE USE OF CONTROL AND RESTRAINT
In residential care it is easy to fall into the trap of setting rules and reinforcing these with
sanctions rather than reward. To create a residential community that functions positively it
is necessary to make greater use of rewards and positive reinforcements, only to use
sanctions where absolutely necessary. Many young people in residential care have been
given little approval or credit for achievement. This feedback is essential for personal
growth, and without it, it is difficult to develop a sense of identity or self-worth.
Orchard House has for some time operated an incentive scheme that encourages our young
people to earn rewards for positive behaviour. Incentives range from financial bonuses,
extended bedtimes, being excused from house tasks and the purchase of posters/comics.
Over time this has proved to be highly successful and it is clear that the young people in our
care respond well to praise and recognition for the changes they are making.
Physical restraint should only be used as a last resort and with the minimal force required.
It should not cause undue pain or injury. The use of restraint to control a young person will
not be used at Orchard House. If a young person repeatedly puts themselves in a position
where they want/need to be restrained, a meeting will be called with the social worker and
parents to address the issue.
Reasons for using physical restraint: Preventing injury to any person (including the person who is being restrained).
 Preventing serious damage to the property of any person (including the person who is
being restrained).
And then when no other alternative method of preventing the event listed above is
available, where this measure is used, the use of physical intervention must be
proportionate and no more force than is necessary should be used.
Children’s Homes regulations 2001 (amendments 2011) Regulation 17A (1) (2)
Physical restraint must not be used as a punishment, as a means to enforce compliance with
instructions, or in response to challenging behaviour.
Considering the young people in our care are already emotionally damaged and may have
been physically abused in the past, it is important to recognise that if they need to be
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restrained the need for sensitivity is paramount. Staff should never restrain a young person
on their own - for the safety of all concerned there should be a team of 2 or 3 staff
members. The staff team should also acknowledge the negative impact a restraint could
have on the rest of the group. By closing off the area where the restraint is taking place we
can limit this impact and also preserve the dignity of the young person involved in the
restraint.
Nearing the end of the restraint the young person should be held and not restrained. He
should also be given a pillow, and maybe a blanket, and the opportunity to sit in a
comfortable position. Staff should offer hot or cold drink and low music can offer a calming
influence and help the young person to settle. It is important that you give the young
person the opportunity to talk about the incident when they feel able to.
Do not attempt to restrain a young person if you feel there is a risk of injury to yourself or
the young person, or if the young person is armed. In these circumstances the police must
be called. The senior staff member on duty must write up the incident in the restraint book.
This must include the following: -

Name of the young person

Date, time and location

De-escalation techniques used

Details of the behaviour requiring the use of restraint

The nature of the restraint used

The duration of the restraint

The names of the staff members involved in the restraint

The names of any other staff, young persons or other people present

The effectiveness and any consequences of the restraint

Any injuries caused to or reported by the young person
 Details of managers meeting with the young person and staff involved in the restraint
and their evaluation of the use of the restraint measure
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The signatures of all staff involved, including the signature of the person authorised by the
registered provider to make the record.
Any young person involved in any form of control, restraint or discipline will meet with the
Manager of the home, or their representative within 24 hours to discuss the behaviour and
the measure of control used.
The staff need to read the report back to the young person and ask him to sign it if he is in
agreement. Two Copies need to be made of the report, one for the young person’s file and
one for their social worker.
Staff are encouraged to use the shift evaluation time at the end of each shift to discuss their
feelings around the restraint and to make use of support from the rest of the team. The
incident can also be addressed in group and/or individual supervision. Staff involved in an
incident where any form of control, restraint or discipline has been used also has the
opportunity to meet with the Manager or their representative in order to reflect and receive
support.
STAFF TRAINING
All staff who are engaged in Physical Interventions and Restraints of young people in our
care are trained using the PRICE model. All staff receives an initial 2 day course and an
annual refresher throughout their employment.
PRICE
General Approach
PRICE Training utilises a Behaviour Support approach with an emphasis on Functional
Analysis, Proactive and Preventative strategies including Primary & Secondary Prevention.
Initially developed under the guidance of the Home Office, and in association with the DOH
(Department Of Health), PRICE Training operates from a strong Value Base that supports
Organisations in promoting opportunities for development and learning whilst reducing risk.
Pre-training
Audit Tools & Discussion are used to individually customise programmes that are flexible
and responsive to needs of the young people. In line with the BILD Code of Practice, PRICE
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work with Commissioners to ensure a full behavioural audit is completed, which forms an
evidence based rationale to support the programme. PRICE also work with services to
ensure Policies & Procedures are compliant with Legislation & Inspection requirements.
Training
Our focus is on developing awareness, understanding, proactive strategies, empathy, selfAwareness and the importance of positive relationship building. A large emphasis is placed
on Defusion, De-escalation, consistent behaviour planning (including Individual Behaviour
Support Plans), Risk Assessment and Team Building.
PRICE Training places a significant focus upon preventative strategies as well as the deescalation and defusion elements of supporting behaviour whilst recognising it is sometimes
necessary to use Physical Intervention to hold a young person in order to protect their wellbeing and the welfare of others.
The training programmes are designed to offer staff a ‘toolbox’ of skills and strategies to
better deal with the everyday occurring situations that can escalate and develop into
conflict, without compromising the ultimate welfare and safety of the service user or staff
member.
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CONTACT DETAILS
Barbara Sharp – Principal Manager
Kathy Dodd – Home Manager
E-mail:
enquiries@appleorchard.org.uk
Tel: 01403 783416
Fax: 01403 786082
Website:
www.appleorchard.org.uk
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EDUCATION
The school is a very important part of Orchard House and compliments the work done by
the care and therapy staff. The Head teacher leads the experienced team of teachers and
part-time educationalists. Between them they can offer a wide range of subjects which
covers most of a modified national curriculum.
GCSE certificates can be gained in English, Mathematics, Science, Information &
Communication Technology, Art and Photography. The school also offers National
Certificates in Humanities, Literacy and Numeracy skills. Concentrated courses on Personal,
Health and Social Education along with careers advice are undertaken in the summer term.
Taster days at local colleges and work experience placements augment the formal
education. The school has well-qualified teaching assistants who assist the teachers in giving
more 1:1 support to individual boys. They also run moderate and individualised literacy
scheme which has shown some excellent improvements in reading skills as well as high
levels of motivation and enjoyment from the pupils. The boys are usually taught in classes of
no more than six, allowing for high levels of supervision and individual attention. The school
day is from 9.00am to 3.00pm and is split into 6 periods of approximately 45 minutes each.
The teaching groups can be split either by age or ability, but usually boys are in a group with
peers who are of a similar academic level. There is an amount of flexibility built into the
system to allow pupils who may be experiencing specific problems within their group to
have ‘time-out’ and join another class temporarily, while still keeping up with their own
level of work.
The evidence of good practice in the classroom has resulted in many good quality passes at
GCSE level and much improved numeracy and literacy levels. 5this has allowed pupils to gain
entry to colleges in Guildford, Brinsbury and Central Sussex College to study subjects such as
catering, mechanics, electrical engineering, animal care, hairdressing and a variety of
valuable life skills. New City and Guilds vocational courses are being prepared for boys
unable to attend college. A work experience programme has been running successfully for
over ten years. Our most recent OFSTED report stated that the school was ‘outstanding’ and
that the pupils made excellent progress through a developing and individualised curriculum.
Any of the schools policies are available to parents on request. All boys who have completed
the education course have left with at least one GCSE, most with five and one with seven.
There have been many pupils who have gone on to higher college education and on
occasion university entrant too.
The school facilities are of a very high standard. There are six purpose built classrooms
including an ICT room with eight linked computers, a large practical room where design
technology and art are taught and one room which can be used for photography. Each
classroom has an interactive whiteboard and its own computer. The large dining area is
used for lunches and daily meetings with the whole school. Basketball and tennis can be
played on our own court and a grass area allows the boys to play a variety of games outside.
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Our Physical Education classes often take place at a nearby sports centre where a variety of
team games and individual activities are offered. We also use local pitches and tennis courts
to extend to a range of sports that we offer. As a member of Sussex and Surrey special
Sports Association we successfully compete against other schools at soccer, badminton,
cross-country and athletics. We have had county champions in basketball, badminton,
football and athletics and won other honours in cross-country and archery. Internal
competitions are held in archery, superstars and golf and the pupils take part in an array of
adventure and outdoor activities throughout the year.
A behaviour modification scheme is successfully established in the school. Points are
awarded for pupils who are recognised to be making positive efforts during school time.
Rewards are given for the type of courteous, thoughtful and diligent behaviour which is
expected from the pupils. The rewards include greater trust, increased computer time,
magic tickets which give the opportunity to win a major prize, certificates which can be sent
home to families or carers and access to day trips.
Every effort is made to create a calm, pleasant, stimulating and fun environment in which to
learn and succeed. Close contact with the care and therapeutic areas of the company help
ensure that there are consistent boundaries and structures in which the pupils can safely
work.
Each pupil is encouraged to strive to realise his own potential and to achieve as much as he
can during his time at Orchard House School.
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STAFFING MATTERS
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SUPERVISION OF STAFF, TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
All of the staff employed by Orchard House receives individual supervision from their line
manager as required from:
The Children’s Homes Regulations 2001 (amendments) 2011 - 25.1b, 26.3b, 27.4
The National Minimum Standards for Children’s Homes, Standard 19
Each month all staff receives 45-60 minutes of one to one supervision and 3 hours of group
supervision with a recognised facilitator. A written record is kept detailing the time, date
and length of all individual supervision held, which the supervisor and staff member sign.
The areas covered in supervision are as follows:

Responses to and methods of working with young people

Areas of key working

The staff member’s role, including their accountability in fulfilling the home’s
Statement of Purpose

Fulfilling the placement plan for the individual young person

Degree of personal involvement, feelings, concerns and stress

Staff development and training

Feedback and performance

Personal issues which may impinge on the member of staff’s ability to carry out their
duties effectively
All staff members have a full induction period to include all house policies and rules. This is
carried out within the initial 6-month probation period.
Orchard House has an ongoing training programme; this covers all aspects of training in
National Minimum Standards of Children’s Homes - Standards 1 – 25. All staff participates
40
in training as required and contributes to their own professional development by keeping up
to date with national development in children’s policies and practices. All permanent staff
will be trained to NVQ level 3 in Care. Also as in Standard 4, Safeguarding Children
Procedures training is provided for all staff in the prevention of abuse, recognition of abuse,
dealing with disclosures or suspicions of abuse.
All staff are given a job description on appointment to Orchard House. Their performance is
individually and formally appraised by the management team on an annual basis. A record
of this is kept on file.
Staff meetings are held fortnightly and a record of the minutes is kept. Supervision groups
run on the alternate weeks and are facilitated by the therapist. During these meetings we
review the team’s working practices.
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ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE HOME
OWNERS
RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL
(PRINCIPAL MANAGER)
HOME MANAGER
DEPUTY MANAGER
SENIOR CARE
WORKERS
THERAPISTS
TEACHERS
CARE WORKERS
OFFICE MANAGER
WAKING NIGHT STAFF
PERMENANT BANK STAFF
MAINTENANCE
42
An equalities approach understands that our social identity, in terms of gender, race,
disability, age, social class, sexuality and religion will impact on our life experiences.
Bramley Care Ltd T/A Orchard House has a diverse work-force:
45 staff in total
26 Females
19 Males
4 Females and 4 Males in Management Positions
The age range of the staff team is 27 – 66 including 4 nationalities
The Policy that is in place at Orchard House has responded to the issue of diversity in recent
years by implementing: Individual’s supervision and yearly appraisal which help staff develop their working
practices and have an open forum to discuss any issues
Staff Qualifications and Experience
Role
Home Manager
Gender
Female
Deputy manager
Female
Senior RSW
Female
43
Experience (years)
10
Qualifications
NVQ level 4
RMA
CPLO
PRICE
First Aid
NVQ level 3
NVQ level 4
PRICE
Safeguarding
Children
Health & Safety
Staff Supervision
First Aid
2
NVQ Level 3
First Aid at work
Safe handling of
Medication
Health and safety
Food Hygiene
Role
Senior RSW
Gender
Female
Waking Night
Male
2
PRICE
NVQ Level 3
Fire Training
Waking Night
Female
2
NVQ Level 3
First aid
PRICE
Health and safety
RSW
Female
5
NVQ Level 3
PRICE
Food Handling
Fire Safety
First Aid
RSW
Female
1
PRICE
Report Writing
RSW
Male
5
RSW
Male
1
NVQ level 4
BA (hons) Physical
education and
teaching
Health and safety in
the workplace
First Aid
PRICE
Report writing
PRICE
Office manager
Female
7
Maintenance
Male
44
Experience (years)
5
Qualifications
NVQ Level 3
PRICE
Safeguarding
Awareness
First Aid
Administering
Medication
Medication Master
class
First Aid at Work
SAGE 100 IT Course
Fire Marshall
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