Supporting independence at 16 and beyond

Participation & Activities

All individuals are encouraged to take part in meaningful activities, explore interests and hobbies and to focus on their talents. This will help to develop emotional resilience and aid recovery for those who have experienced trauma. Recognising and developing their talents will focus on raising confidence and self-esteem and promotes individuals to plan for the future which is a key element to success.

Responding to Need

Indie16 provides a supportive, structured and stimulating environment that is responsive to the individual needs by providing:

• Values, Standards, Routine and Boundaries.
• Assistance and encouragement to access and maintain education, training or employment.
• Support to access activities.
• Recognition of achievement and encouragement of individual skills.
• Support for access to interventions with external partners.

Through Indie Plan’s, staff support individuals to set realistic and achievable goals and focus on positive interactions, reinforcement and support. Both managers and the staff team are available and are responsible for co-ordinating the individual’s indie plan and supporting the individual to achieve their goals. Indie16 provides weekly reports to social workers detailing the young person’s week. These include an overview of support provided, appointments attended (including treatment and outcomes), progress with independence skills, and details of any incidents.

Safeguarding

When an individual first moves in to  Indie16, the initial objective is to welcome them and provide them with a safe and secure environment. A meet and greet session will take place which is an opportunity for the new individual to meet all other individuals and the staff team. Each young person is provided with a Young Person’s Guide and Welcome Pack containing essential information, including how to make a complaint, details of local amenities and shops, an overview of their journey with Indie16, the support they will receive, their entitlements, and other key information.

A tour of the home is provided, covering all security features, the location of the staff office, how and where to access support, and essential information such as fire safety procedures. During this process, staff clearly explain that young people are ultimately responsible for their own safety, including adhering to agreed visitor restrictions and curfew times.

Upon entering the service, each individual has an initial risk assessment completed by management. These are live documents that are reviewed monthly and updated following any change in circumstances. Throughout their placement, the staff team works closely with each individual to develop the skills needed to stay safe, build confidence, and maintain positive relationships.

To further support the safety of our individuals all services have:

• Staff Available 24 hours a Day
• Dedicated On Call Service to Individuals & Staff
• Routine Premises Checks
• Controlled Access to the Building for Residents & Visitors
• External & Internal (Communal Areas) CCTV

As part of the welcoming process, the individual will be given a set of house rules to sign. A few examples of the following will be in place:

• Individuals are required to sign their visitors in and out of the premises.
• Visiting times are restricted to the following: 9am until 9pm. There are no overnight stays permitted at any time.

The above is purely for the privacy and protection of other individuals.

Staff should be aware of each individual’s safety and ensure they return to their placement. Individuals are encouraged to return by the agreed curfew of 10:00pm and to remain at their accommodation. We encourage individuals to have positive overnight stays with relative’s or friend’s but ask that this is agreed in advance with the individual’s social worker or lead professional and that we are kept informed. Should an individual go missing, the staff team will work with the Police and the emergency duty team to locate them, assess all risk and missing from home work will be completed with them to reduce the risk of any further missing episodes.

Education & Preparation for Work

All individuals are encouraged to engage in education, training, or employment. We provide support with enrolling in education or courses that match their interests. Individuals also have the opportunity to complete training in CV writing, interview preparation, and creating accounts on job-search platforms. We work alongside Virtual School and other external agencies to explore all available opportunities.

In addition to this Indie16 recognises the need for independence training for day to day tasks both inside and outside of the home. This is a bespoke, tailored package that all individuals are asked to follow and complete, it comprises of the following:

• Employment Skills
• Staying Safe
• Personal Hygiene & Care
• Sexual Health, Contraception & Pregnancy
• Cooking
• Personal Safety
• Everyday Cleaning
• Understanding Utility Bills & how to take meter readings
• Basic Electrical Skills – changing light bulbs, plugs and what to do if the electric RCD is tripped
• Tenancy Management & Sustainment
• Independence Packs & Tenancy Readiness Course – Local Authority Specific

Sexual Exploitation

Where individuals are at risk or have been at risk of sexual exploitation work will be carried out by the staff team to support individuals to have the skills and tools to keep themselves safe from harm. This will be included in their own risk assessment, safety plan and indie plan. The individual will have regular input with this and support will also be given from the local sexual health team or the looked after nurse.

Referral Criteria

We provide accommodation for individuals aged 16 to 18 with low to medium support needs. These may include, but are not limited to:

• Those with a history of, or at risk of domestic violence.
• Those with a history of, or at risk of sexual exploitation.
• Those who need a safe place to live and develop due to external threats to their safety.
• Those with a history of mental health support needs.
• Those with a history of substance misuse issues.

**We cannot accommodate individuals assessed as still needing care. **

All referrals received by Indie16 are assessed and given appropriate consideration as to suitability for a semi-independent setting. Indie16 aims to accommodate planned referrals however, there may be occasions when same-day placements are required. We do take emergency referrals.