SUPPORT & SERVICES

Support and Services

We understand that every young person is unique, and their needs differ, and some may require more support than others. We will assess the needs of every young person and devise a personalised support plan in conjunction with Local Authorities to meet their individual needs.

Our support plan is based on a robust assessment of each young person’s needs. The assessment process is personed centred ensuring that each young person’s emotional, physical, social and practical needs are identified while working with them to develop specific goals and milestones. We celebrate small steps of success while maintaining high levels of motivation. Each young person is provided with Nivalo Care Services Independent Living Development Passport which records their goal, milestone achievement and targets they are able to take with them when they move to the next stage.

BASIC SUPPORT PACKAGE (10 HOURS PER WEEK)

Nivalo Care Services offers service commissioners a tiered support package starting with the Basic support package which includes accommodation and 10 hours of support.

 

Additional Needs

For young people in need of additional support, we are able to offer additional tailored support which enhances the basic support already offered in the basic package. This may be in relation to issues around substance misuse, Sexual exploitation, self-harming, offending behaviour and emotional support needs. Prices are negotiated according to the needs of the young person and the support needed such as additional staff input to keep them and other residents safe.

Staying Healthy

  • Each young person is registered with a GP, dentist and optician within the first week of placement.
  • Staff use a range of strategies to encourage and ensure young people attend regular routine health checks and complete their annual health assessment.
  • Staff educate young people about sexual health, sexual relationships, the prevention of sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancy.
  • Staff identify and respond to early indicators of mental health issues such as self-neglect, self-harm and depression.
  • Staff will provide information about the risks of smoking, alcohol and substance misuse.
  • Staff are competent and skilled to look for early signs of substance abuse, misuse and addiction and take timely and appropriate actions to address these.
  • Staff assist young people to understand the importance of healthy eating, observing special dietary needs and the dangers of eating disorders.

Enjoy and Achieve

  • Every effort will be made to ensure that each young person is in education, training or employment within 6 weeks of the start of the placement.
  • Where English is not a young person’s first language, assistance is provided to access English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes locally.
  • Staff encourage and support young people to engage in activities that help them to get work experience, learn work routines, apprenticeship and build up a Curriculum Vitae (CV) for later on in life.

Achieve Economic Wellbeing

  • Staff ensure that each young person has access to appropriate and reasonable resources to enable them to participate effectively in economic life. (i.e. transport/bus pass, weekly allowance and welfare benefits).
  • Staff encourage young people to manage their own finances through help with budgeting, saving and banking.

Stay Safe

  • Staff take reasonable steps to ensure that young people who enter any employment, training or work experience do so in a safe and legal environment.
  • Staff regularly encourage young people through key working sessions to understand their rights and responsibilities and how to raise concerns and complaints as well as how to access independent advocacy.
  • Staff follow the local Safeguarding Children Board and local authority’s multi- agency protocols for young people who go missing from care.
  • Behaviour management plans and risk management strategies are in place for each young person.
  • The director, in partnership with the placing authority do all they can to promote stability within the placement and avoid emergency placement breakdowns.
  • Staffs are proactive in requesting/convening stability meetings where required, to minimise the risk of irretrievable breakdown and disruption to continually care for young people.

Contributing Positively

  • Staff will support each young person to complete a structured preparation for independence programme.
  • Staff will support each young person to complete a structured preparation for independence programme within 6-9 months of their placement preparing them to move on to independent living.
  • Our Staff are proactive in identifying opportunities for a young person to empower them to increase their experiences and employability through attending community activities and other personal development opportunities.
  • Staff support our young people to engage in volunteering opportunities to enable them to make a meaningful contribution to the community they live in thus improving their self- worth.
  • Young people attend their Children Looked After reviews and Pathway Planning review meetings.