Outcome 3: Recovery
Recovery Programme
Introduction
SACCS Care is recognised as a leading provider of recovery for traumatised children and young people. We offer a high value comprehensive and integrated recovery service that is ready to respond to a child’s needs both regionally and nationally. Our service is a theoretically underpinned evidential working methodology provided by highly trained staff. Our model delivers a measurable cost efficient service supporting children through Recovery back into mainstream substitute family living.
Children for whom SACCS Care provides recovery
It is SACCS policy that a comprehensive pre-admission assessment and impact assessment be undertaken for all children referred. This is to determine firstly whether SACCS services are able to meet the child’s needs and secondly; if appropriate which of SACCS 12 homes is best suited to meet these needs. All of the SACCS homes are based within the West and East Midland Regions, and accommodate children of a similar age (no more than 5 years between the eldest and youngest child placed). Each of the homes can care for up to 5 children of either single or mixed gender.
We specialise in providing recovery for children who have suffered early life trauma as the victims of serious abuse and/or profound neglect. These children having suffered intolerable abuse and negative experiences have very complex needs. As a result, the children have serious emotional difficulties that include developmental and attachment problems. They will have little if any understanding of acceptable behaviour in groups. Their behaviours; a defense against their early life experiences; are set as an unhealthy inner world as early as 3 years old*. Many if not most of these children will have experienced repeated family and placement breakdown. Their numbers, based on our own research are no more than 1 in every 200 of the looked after children population. Unaided, they may carry their trauma into adulthood, and potentially, repeat those acts of abuse upon their own and other children.
Our specialism is to support these children through an in-depth and integrated approach to recover from their unhealthy state and transfer, over time, in a controlled and safe environment, to achieve excellent outcomes that include a healthy inner model.
Simplified model of the constructing, deconstructing and restructuring treatment process of the SACCS Recovery Programme
Pughe. B and Elliott.S 2008
*Allen, G and Smith, ID (2008) Early Intervention: Good Parents, Great Kids, Better Citizens, Chapter 2 pp. 45-52.
Centre for Social Justice and the Smith Institute.
In order to provide each child with a personalised recovery programme SACCS has developed a working methodology contained within the Individual Recovery Plan.
Step 1. The Initial Enquiry and Pre-Admission Process; where the basic information of the child’s background and needs are sought. This information is matched against the criteria for placement ensuring suitability of the service in meeting the child's needs. This process sets out to define the expectation of outcomes for the child at an observable behavioural and internalised level.
Step 2. The development of a detailed Recovery Plan; a document linked to the Care Plan, the Every Child Matters or the 7 Core Aims of Wales outcomes and the National Contract; that is reviewed every three and six months. The Plan sets out the key areas of concern for the child and how each team member is to interact in order to affect those concerns. On a daily basis, work continues with the child to effect change. These changes are monitored and recorded. The reports generated form the basis of each monthly report.
Step 3. The Monthly Report; a synopsis of events of the previous 4 weeks captured in a series of comments and charts showing behavioural change as positive and/or negative trends. This is a hard measure. Each Manager working with the key carer and the recovery team evaluates the data contained within the bar-chart in order to formulate an informed opinion as to how the child is progressing against the plan; the reports are used, with the IRP to inform the Review.
Step 4. The Assessment; an in depth professional appraisal of the internalisation of the child's behavioural change that takes place every 6 months. This is a soft measure. The assessment is used to examine and evaluate the changes to the child’s internal model. It is a subjective study, based upon the expertise and experiences of the Recovery professionals. The outcome of the assessment is the production of a cumulative line diagram representing the child’s development. The assessment assumptions will be tested over the following 3 months as part of the Individual Recovery Plan.
Step 5. The Statutory Review; every six months is an examination of the progression or regression of the child when measured against both the observable (hard) and the internalised (soft) measures. The review will look at areas of improvement and concern. Those attending, including the child, will agree as to which areas should form the focus of attention over the following six months. Once agreed, objectives and aims are set and transferred to the Individual Recovery Plan.
