The quality of care we provide
We always keep children, young people and families at the centre of everything we do.
Throughout our services we provide care, safety and stability for looked after children. The young people who come to us, may have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma along with family and placement breakdowns. They are likely to have difficulty with attachment relationships and have developed difficult or challenging patterns of behaviour.
Individually tailored care
We offer a place where children can be nurtured, giving them time and space to begin to make sense of past hurt and attempt to develop in a healthy manner. Our fundamental belief is that children need a place to contain and nurture them in order to begin to make sense of past hurt and attempt to develop some positive mechanisms to cope with their often distressing and intense emotions.
Our care is individually tailored according to each individual’s needs where children are provided with all the physical necessities they need appropriate for their age and understanding. We are proud of our homes which create a warm and homely atmosphere and somewhere safe that young people can call home, with adults who love, care and look out for them.
The best possible care
All looked after children and young people deserve the best possible care. Break is committed to providing a care service underpinned by theories of attachment and an understanding of the impact of developmental trauma so that our children and young people:
- Feel safe.
- Feel healthy.
- Feel that they belong.
- Believe they can achieve.
- Know that their contribution is valued.
Living independently
We want the children and young people for whom we care to lead as fulfilled and rich lives as possible. Our efforts are geared towards helping the development of the young people to enable them to live independently whilst integrated into society with relationships that will sustain and fulfil them. For them to have:
- A positive sense of themselves.
- An understanding of their past and their family.
- Social skills that enable them to function and engage with society.
- The ability to manage and regulate their behaviour.
- A good education.
- Solid education, training or employment arrangements.
- A range of interests and activities that enrich their lives.
- Meaningful relationships.
Long term
Our long term expectation is that our young people will have meaningful employment that will provide the financial means for them to enjoy a good standard of living and maintain their own accommodation.
We uphold the rights of children and young people to express their thoughts and feelings and have the right to:
- Live in an environment that is safe, where prejudice, discrimination and ridicule are unacceptable.
- Privacy, dignity and respect.
- Communicate their thoughts, feelings and hopes without fear of censure.
- Be protected from abuse and exploitation.
- Emotional support through all available resources.
- Medical services which take into account their cultural background and beliefs.
- Practice their religion, retain and develop their cultural identity.
- Respect for dietary needs associated with their health, race and culture or beliefs.
- Develop their own sexual identity and be made aware of their sexual responsibilities within a relationship.
- Maintain their family networks should they wish to do so.
- Education and social opportunities which allow for individual choice and need.
- Be consulted and involved in planning and review meetings and have their opinions valued.
- Information and knowledge that ensures they can make informed decisions.