Castle house

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Phoenix Castle House is a children’s home which offers a route out of sexual exploitation for girls; through a time limited programme of holistic care and therapy, designed around clear assessments and the development of measurable outcomes.

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“What does a placement at Phoenix Castle House look like?�

All girls at Castle House are given top priority in all the services in which they participate. They will be able to build enduring relationships with experienced and professional staff who will provide support at the appropriate level.

The comprehensive assessment and profiling of each girl will help all agencies understand their needs and help inform their future development.

This programme has been developed in close collaboration with the NWG Network and partners in the field of child sexual exploitation (CSE).

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Planned admission including visits and introductions to the programme.

2 WEEKS

This is a period of up to six weeks where the girls will take part in a series of assessments.

The results of the assessments will be used to formulate the programme with the girls.

The programme planning meeting.

6 WEEKS

“WHAT IS CASTLE HOUSE?” Castle House is a children’s home which matches the criteria of a Tier 4 CAMHS provision. This is a service for girls who are deemed to be at greatest risk of rapidly declining mental health or serious self-­ harm-who require a period of intensive input for the purposes of assessment and treatment.

Castle House care team are trained in and have integrated the Thrive framework into the day-to-day service delivery.

Team members come from professionally registered groups with a consultant psychologist having responsibility for overseeing the assessment, treatment and care for each girl.

This is the time the girls will be working through their programme towards the measurable outcomes they have helped to formulate.

This is the time when the girls will be working towards completing their programme and transitioning to their new lives.

Graduation.

6 TO 12 MONTHS

The route into the Phoenix Castle House Programme: Planned admission is the preferred route into the Programme. Phoenix Castle House staff will liaise with external agencies and develop a phased introduction for young girls. Visits will be made to the girls to explain the purpose and practicalities of the placement, so they can make informed choices about taking part in the programme. Should they decide to be part of Castle House, they will be given an opportunity to visit and meet staff and other girls, prior to admission, and talk through any concerns and questions.

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Who’s your new friend?

1

CASE SCENARIO EXAMPLES

You’re so special to me.

How can we help?

What can you do?

4

5

Castle House

Castle House

This is actually starting to make sense.

These know nothing.

You’re special I’ll come and get you.

We need to work together.

#@?*#!

KEY:

Just someone I met.

CHILD

EXPLOITER

FAMILY

I’ll wait.

She’ll be back.

PROFESSIONALS

What can we do to help?

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HELP!!

2

He cares about me so much, even if I have to do things I don’t like.

“I’m Special”

3 I’m going out.

Your family doesn’t care about you like I do, you’re special.

6

We need to talk.

Mate I’ve got another one, wanna play?

7 Castle House

Castle House

WE’RE HERE IF YOU NEED US!

ALL WORKING TOGETHER

“A real way out for girls experiencing Sexual Exploitation”

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THE FIRST SIX WEEKS The first six weeks of a placement at Phoenix Castle House is an assessment and planning stage, which will place the girls at the centre of the Programme.

For the Programme to be successful the girls will be given an opportunity to understand and actively consent to their part in the process. They will be part of a range of assessments and the results will be shared with them; allowing an understanding of the findings.

This initial stage will cover the full range of needs of the young person and will include cognitive, care, emotional, behavioural, psychological and mental health assessments; as well as practical aspects such as their physical well-being and sexual health.

This will then lead to the design of a programme which will be written by the girl and presented to the review, which will be held at the end of the six week assessment.

The plan will include a list of therapies and practical interventions that the Phoenix Castle Team and the girls themselves have included in their programme.

The Phoenix Castle Team includes the children’s home staff, the four psychologists and therapists as well as the Phoenix Academy staff where they will attend school.

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EDUCATION Girls who have been subject to CSE have frequently missed a significant amount of school work and at times not taken their exams. We believe that girls re-engaging with their education, at a level and pace appropriate to their needs, is vitally important and encourages self-esteem.

The educational outcomes for girls at Castle House can vary depending on their age and educational ability. However, each girl will have an Education, Health and Care Plan which they will be involved in, along with their key worker and their social worker from the outset of the placement. This will include their current attainment levels; and what areas of development need to be addressed and will be consistently reviewed and updated when appropriate.

Education is delivered on site at Castle House in the Annexe by fully qualified and experienced teachers offering GCSEs, ASDAN and many other options.

THE PROGRAMME STAGE The Programme stage will be the process through which measurable outcomes are achieved, and will include a combination of talking therapies, soft therapies, social story constructs (Life Story work), group work sessions, education and social group living.

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THERAPEUTIC PROVISION A range of therapeutic interventions will be offered that can address the needs of girls who have experienced attachment difficulties, bereavement, sexual trauma, sexual harm, violence, adverse behaviours, including homelessness and addictions. These interventions will take into account all aspects of child protection including; safety, resilience, consent and risk.

This will be achieved by using: • Psychodynamic therapies • Clinical Psychology interventions • Psychotherapeutic approaches • Behavioural responses • Cognitive Behavioural Therapies All within the context of individual and group work.

VIOLENCE

Addictions

HOMELESSNESS sexual harm Sexual trauma

Bereavement

ATTACHMENT DIFFICULTIES

ADVERSE BEHAVIOURS

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There will also be a range of other therapies and interventions that may be needed according to the demands of the girls at Castle House. This may include art based, as well as cognitive therapeutic approaches.

The therapeutic and care programme will lead to measurable outcomes that will include: 1

2

An understanding of risk and appropriate risk taking

An understanding of consent

Improved resilience

4

3

5

6

An empathetic understanding of specific outcomes and situations

The normalisation of thoughts and actions

7

8

An understanding, ability and desire to keep themselves safe

A clear understanding of sexual health

The ability to act on advice given

9

Measurable progress from assessment baselines

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THE ‘MOVING ON’ STAGE

This is the most significant stage of a girl’s stay at Phoenix Castle House.

It is through this process of change that girls will develop the understanding and skills needed to participate appropriately as an ordinary member of society, to live safely and not be vulnerable and powerless when confronted with difficult or challenging situations or circumstances.

Phoenix Castle House provides a welcoming, safe and secure environment in which girls can gain respite from their periods of exploitation. It is in a rural setting and will provide opportunities for girls to take part in a range of activities that will help them develop new skills.

During this period of the Programme, the girl, her social worker and other key workers will develop her exit plan from Castle House. This will start to work within the first few weeks of her time here in order to ensure a smooth transition to her next placement. This phase will focus on her safety and protection from further exploitation, as well as considering future accommodation and educational needs.

This part of the Programme will be introduced as appropriate to the needs and progress of each girl. It may include: planned visits, overnight stays and extended stays; participating in individual and group work while being able to share and seek support from peers and staff. The ability to participate in an emotionally intelligent way is one of the cornerstones of a successful transition from the Phoenix Castle House Programme.

It is important that external agencies, especially the social worker, is involved throughout this process as they will carry responsibility for the future protection of the girl.

OPERATIONAL FEATURES OF PHOENIX CASTLE HOUSE Phoenix will operate Castle House as a children’s home with added security features to ensure that any girls cannot be contacted by their previous exploiters. This will involve CCTV cameras, appropriate security measures and robust procedures.

The girls will have no access to either mobile phones or wi-fi and any internet access will be filtered and monitored. There are close relationships with local police and other agencies, including mental health staff to enable girls to be given access to all the services they may require.

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Our aim is to improve the individual’s skills and abilities to allow them to be more effective, productive and valued members of society. We operate a number of children’s homes for young people unable to live at home for whom a foster family is not suitable or is an aspiration. The main aim of our children’s homes is to: · Assist the young person to work through the crisis, ·D evelop the skills and abilities needed to move on, either back home, into foster care or independence.

The Group also has specialist children’s homes where the young people have similar specific needs and the staff are trained and committed to working in that dedicated area.

ABOUT US The Phoenix Group was established in 2006 by a small group of like-minded individuals with a real passion for providing excellent services to those in need. The CEO is a founder investor who still runs the company on a daily basis from the group’s headquarters based in Barnstaple, North Devon.

The Phoenix Group is all about working with young people and young adults to meet their individual social or education needs across the South West Peninsula and has quickly grown to be a well-­respected provider of services throughout the South West. We do this in various service settings, always trying to put the young person at the centre of our thinking and practice.

There are two schools operated by the Group providing alternative education for young people who cannot maintain a placement in a main stream education setting.

Both schools offer a broad curriculum roughly following the national curriculum. The small classes and individual educational programmes are monitored and reviewed on a daily and weekly basis to enable real progress for each learner.

Oakwood Court College is the Group’s specialist further education college for young adults aged between 16yrs and 25yrs who have a learning disability. The college is a special place and students’ progress through one, two or three year courses leaving the college with a great chance of living independently and finding meaningful employment.

The Phoenix Group seeks to give young people opportunities for life and living, a real sense of achievement and pathway to an independent future.

Thank you.

Keith Burley CEO

enquiries@plcl.org.uk

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Head Office: 01271 379006 First Floor, Rolle Quay House, Rolle Quay, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 1JE A

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