Children and young people are encouraged from an early age to develop their independence, in preparation for their future.
When a young person moves into Dickson House or the North Flat, their independence levels are assessed before targets are put in place to help them develop these skills further, with staff assistance and support throughout. Targets range from very simple to quite complex, depending on the age and abilities of the individual. Targets are discussed and agreed with the child and their keyworker before any programmes are put into place.
Children tend to work on one target per half term, unless they are in the transitional phase of leaving care, whereby they may need to work on more than one.
Some examples of the targets we set include:
- Money management
- Road safety
- Travelling by foot, bus or train
- Laundry
- Ironing
- Cooking
- Personal hygiene
- Relationships with peers
- Relationships with staff