Dickson House is a detached house with its own garden.
The home has a variety of spacious communal areas including a play room with access to computers and games, a TV lounge, a dining room and a kitchen. It also has a family bathroom, a separate toilet and a utility room, where young people can learn to wash their own clothes.
The home has six bedrooms, one for each of the young people living in Dickson House, a staff office and a staff sleep-in room for the on-duty employee each evening.
The North Flat has four bedrooms, one for each of the children, one which is used as a staff office/bedroom. It also has a spacious lounge/dining room, kitchen and play room.
Each young person’s room in both Dickson House and the North Flat includes a suitable bed and bedding, desk and seating, storage for clothes and a secure door lock to ensure personal possessions are safe. This door lock ensures that entry from the outside is only permitted with a key but can be opened as normal from the inside. Children are not required to share bedrooms, and young residents are encouraged to personalise their rooms, to create an environment similar to their own home.
Doncaster Deaf Trust Children’s Home(s) strongly believes Deaf people should have access to equipment and provisions which enable them to access a wide range of facilities and live as independently as possible.
The Home has a range of tools to help make this possible, including:
- Flashing fire alarms in every bedroom
- Staff who communicate using British Sign Language
- Trained interpreters
- On site audiologist
- Vibrating alarm clocks
- Computer access
- Subtitles on all forms of TV media
Using these provisions, individuals are encouraged to develop their independence, while having the added security of trained staff on hand to support them.