Safe steps
Thisprogramme is designed for young people between the ages of 8 years and 16 yearswho have challenging behaviours and complex needs resulting in repeat placementdisruption. They are therefore at risk of being placed in expensive long termresidential care, or are already in long term residential care. Safe Steps isan intensive programme which facilitates and manages their transition to astable family based environment.
SafeSteps is an innovative specialist service resulting in:
1. Superior and measurable outcomes for the youngperson and 2. Significant financial savings for the Local Authority.
Safe Steps - The Credentials
SafeSteps was created in 2007 as the result of a partnership between Pathway Careand Marlowe Child and Family Services. The Safe Steps team combines theknowledge, experience and resources of these two established, successful andinnovative organisations.
Marlowe Child & Family Serviceswas founded in 1991 to provide residential care, special education andtherapeutic services to children and young people from across the UK. Marlowefocuses on imaginative and innovative care solutions for young people whopresent as challenging.
Thereare two well equipped residential units (Gloucestershire & Pembrokeshire)dedicated to the Safe Steps programme.
PathwayCare was establishedin 1996 and is an independent provider of children's services in England and Wales. It is the third largestfostering provider and offers
servicesto over 50 Local Authorities and placements to over 560 children.
Specialistservices provided by Pathway Care include Parent and Child Assessments,Disability, Complex Needs, Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) andSafe Steps.
Marloweand Pathway Care share the same objectives of high quality care and best valueand are dedicated to achieving the best possible outcomes for children andyoung people. It is their unique combination of skills, resources andinnovative thinking that has resulted in the creation of the Safe Stepsprogramme designed to meet the needs of Local Authorities who have a populationof children / young people in long term residential care.
Whatis Safe Steps?
TheSafe Steps transitional care programme typically works over a 52 week periodand although highly structured it is child specific.
Anintensive period of preparatory residential care with appropriate clinicalinput is succeeded by a heavily supported family placement which initiallyoverlaps with the residential placement. The outcome of the Safe Stepsprogramme is that the young person is able to avoid institutionalisation,access and maintain a living situation appropriate to their needs and enhancetheir life chances. For example, they are better able to make relationships,maintain a place in full time education.
Thestructure of the unique Safe Steps programme ensures consistency and continuityof care throughout. Residential staff, clinical staff, social work staff andfoster carers all work and train alongside each other providing an holisticapproach to the care of the young person. Progress is reviewed collectively(including the Local Authority) on a monthly basis ensuring that all areworking cohesively and responsively toward the next agreed goal in theprogramme.
Theprogramme cost reflects the nature and structure of the programme of care. It isprogressively tapered as the support element to the young person decreases. Atthe end of the programme, it will have already delivered a significant savingto the Local Authority compared to alternative residential care.
Thetransition to comparatively low cost fostering will deliver significant savingsto the Local Authority compared to the high cost of providing long termresidential care a young person.
(Typicallyover a 3 to 5 year period the savings are circa £0.25m to £0.5m per youngperson)
WhoWould Benefit from Safe Steps?
Anyyoung person 8 - 16 years old of either gender who may have had a prolongedhistory of abuse and trauma and may present with difficulties such as;
Complex behavioural needs
Attachment difficulties / disorders
Emotional and psychologicaldifficulties
Mild Learning difficulties
Autistic spectrum disorders
Self injury
Conduct and behaviour difficulties
Risk taking history includingabsconding
Sexual vulnerability
Several disrupted placements
Youngpeople faced with the prospect of long-term residential care whose situationmay be summarised as one of the following:
Unable to maintain a stable familyplacement.
Vulnerable to the influences of otheryoung people in long-term care such as; a follower, a victim of bullying etc.
Motivated but struggling to functionwithin a family.
Needing specialist clinical input.
Note; Planned and crisis admissions will be consideredwith a full risk assessment required prior to admission. Exclusions may apply.
SafeSteps - 3 Steps to a better future
TheSafe Steps programme consists of carefully designed 3 Steps each of which takesfull account of the needs of the individual young person.
Educationis an essential element of every young person's development and an integralpart of the structure of the Safe Steps programme. Educational provision isbased on individual assessment in liaison with the placing authority. This maybe mainstream provision, Local Authority special school or a Marlowe specialneeds school.
MarloweChild & Family services run two Special Needs Schools near to the SafeSteps residential units however it should be noted that fees for education arenot included in the basic Safe Steps fee
Step1.A residentialplacement with Marlowe Child & Family Services of 13 (max 26) weeks. Thisis a period of comprehensive assessment, planning, clinical inputs and anintroduction to the Safe Steps foster carer.
Step2.This comprises26 weeks in a Safe Steps foster placement plus highly intensive outreachsupport from the Marlowe team ensuring continuity and avoiding any fracturingof relationships.
Step3.This comprises13 weeks in a Safe Steps placement and is a period of consolidation and futureplanning that is aimed at assessing the young person's progress in managingtheir own behaviour and environment, it is critical to informing longer termplanning post the Safe Steps programme.
Step1
Min 13wks Max 26 wks
ResidentialPlacement with Marlowe Child & Family Services
AtEither: Upper House, Pembrokeshire The Lawns, Gloucestershire
Step2
26 wks
SafeSteps Foster Placement with
PathwayCare & Intensive Outreach support from Marlowe Child & Family Services
Step3
13 wks
SafeSteps Foster Placement
Tofind out more about this new service visit safestepsfostercare.co.uk
