I honestly feel both you and your team did an incredible job with J.  Your team always placed his needs first and adapted to different ways of working based on his behaviour and needs.  Your reports, risk assessments and other documents were in depth and knowledgeable.  Information provided was always given in a timely manner and communication regularly and consistently. 

Social Worker

The whole team are child centred and are constantly adapting their practice to meet the child’s needs.

The whole ethos and passion is embedded in all your work and the standard of the home reflected this. Children don’t fit in boxes, but you manage to make the box fit the child, whatever shape that box needs to be.

Specialist SEN Worker- Milton Keynes

He has been able to slowly build positive relationships with adults around him, which he did not have before. Although still heavily monitored and supported, he is being able to enjoy and experience activities and experiences in life which other young people his age would be, and enjoying these, which he did not have the opportunity or ability to do before.

Despite disliking education, it is positive that he does go and engages in some of his learning, as opposed to not accessing school and spending all his time with the gang, which would likely have been the case if he had not been supported in the way he has by Care Afloat. In terms of his basic needs, the fact he is alive, healthy and using his time constructively it a real achievement compared to how things could have been for him now, if he had stayed at home or if he had been placed in the wrong placement, which had not worked for him and he had not engaged with so well.

Comments from an IRO

Care Afloat have in our opinion a good insight into working Therapeutically with young people and work effectively in regard to positive interventions with young people.  Whilst strategy, LAC meeting etc are all in the role and effectively managed Care Afloat, in my professional opinion they excelled in their direct work with our young person and their family, always with a restorative sense that keeps a focus on meeting the needs of the young person.

Our young person was previously considered to require a ‘secure intervention’ as the risks she was displaying where extreme on the child sexual exploitation side of risks. In fairness the Psychiatric report and suggested intervention that we had made was central to her plan of care and it has not been easy, however with a resolute plan and focused tasks she is in a much better place today and has flourished in the placement.

This is even more significant as she has moved from the crisis intervention aspect to a more Independent skills focus where she fully engages with her Pathway plan and has invested time into her educational, health and independent pathway, this has enabled a colleague, myself and Care Afloat to support and continue the long term work with parents who have by and large supported the placement throughout.

At present our young person appears to be progressing in every aspect of her development and is significantly remembering the lessons, not the disappointments from her past and is showing very encouraging signs. I am impressed with how Care Afloat work with her.

Professional feedback: Operational Manager

We should pick the house up and move it to my town, I‘d stay there forever then.

L.B.

"The staff were really nice I loved them”
“ I was always happy, there is nothing that would make me happier”
“They were funny”

We have used your mobile provision on a number of occasions and always found this to be a really helpful response when we have a young person in crisis. The advantages are that the staff are skilled at engaging with young people and can offer them an opportunity to distance themselves from the negative influences which are often controlling what the young person is involved in, crime and sexual exploitation in particular. They can keep them safe.

S. C. came back with a different attitude, definite improvement, shows more confidence and is desperate to come back (to you). I am very happy with the service

Care Afloat’s contribution to the South Lancashire Missing From Home Group has been invaluable. Our joint working has also ensured that the issues relating to the vulnerable young people in their care are addressed positively in a spirit of true partnership

You have changed me so much, I’m so glad I’ve met you all. You helped me through things I didn’t think I could do on my own, you have made me feel myself again like a normal 15 year old…... Thank you so much for being there when I needed you….. Wish everyone all the best. I’m really happy I have made the right choice in moving to Care Afloat.

 I believe the standard of care provided was exceptional. Our young person was really cared for. There was a clear trauma informed approach which helped to address the young person past experiences. I found that this was the first placement out of three others where the young person was able to build routine, understand and respect boundaries and also receive educational and therapeutic support. In addition to this, I am amazed at the placement ability to acknowledge the young person’s parents and family. Contact was recorded effectively and supported with care and diligence. This is important because the placement is very far from young person’s family, therefore the placement were willing to make many adjustment to ensure young person could have quality contact. This was helpful when making decisions about the young person’s long term placement.

I sat with the young person earlier to today and she mentioned how she missed how the staff would take her to by her own food and cook this with her. Specifically talking about Afro-Caribbean food.

Risk was always communicated to myself and the other social worker promptly. The risk was often discussed in meetings and an updated risk assessment would take place. There was always a communication if there was a change to risk that had emerged in the past which was beneficial as it meant that the young person risk was being reviewed promptly.

I observed the Manager provide support to workers communicate our concerns and views in a way that helped to promote the needs of the child whilst also acknowledging the experience of the staff on board. In addition to this, I felt that I had the opportunity to work with a range of different staff who all embodied a trauma informed method of working and appeared to be really supportive of our young person. This was something that appeared to consistent amongst workers which benefits the young person stability and ability to build relationships.

SOCIAL WORKER (LAMBETH)

I’ve enjoyed myself. It hasn’t felt like a care home. It felt like my home. I got on with everyone and I’ll miss you loads. Thank you for helping me.