Aldine House aims to provide a safe, caring yet controlled environment in which young people are enabled to address personal difficulties and so move on to make positive contributions to their family and communities.

The modern building, purpose built with the user in mind, won an architectural award for it’s design.  It is a spacious unit with 8 bedrooms all with en-suite facilities.

All young people will commence with a comprehensive assessment process where a care or sentence plan will be compiled. Aldine House is responsible for monitoring and reviewing the programmes and developing a wide variety of evidence based programmes [including the Duke of Edinburgh Awards] to meet the needs of young people. These are broadly based upon a cognitive/behavioural model in line with Youth Justice and ‘What Works’ research regarding effective practice.

Specialisms:

• Self harm
• Behavioural and initial assessments
• Drug, alcohol and substance misuse assessment
• An extensive educaiton programme leading to assessment and accreitation alongside the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme
• Extensive range of programmes of work, e.g. Offence related; cognitive reasoning; consequential thinking; solution focused thinking; victim awareness; self-management; anger; self-esteem/image

Educational and Recreation facilities are situated on the lower level, beneath the bedrooms, with access to the walled garden from the classrooms and to the playground.  There are two good-sized, well-lit classrooms and a technology room overlooking the garden and playground.  The recreation area consists of a quiet room, open lounge with facilities for table tennis and a fitness room. Educational opportunity at Aldine House reflects the national curriculum core subjects and is delivered based on the information provided by placing agencies in the Initial Planning Meeting. Young People are assessed via the Lucid Assessment System for Schools

(LASS) online assessment tool as well as NFER Nelson and CATS (Cognitive Ability Tests) depended on age and understanding.

Six teaching staff, operate a 6 term academic year, 25 hours of teaching and 5 x 1 hour structured homework sessions per week. An atmosphere of learning and achievement is encouraged. All young people have an assessment, which informs their Individual Education Plan [IEP]. SATs, GCSE or AQA Unit Awards Schemes are completed by young people

Emphasis is placed upon the core skills, including literacy, numeracy, personal and social education, science and technology.  Physical exercise and health related fitness are also encouraged.

We have weekly Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychiatric/ Psychology input from CAMHS. They presently provide:

• Individual therapeutic work with identified young people
• Court assessments when requested
• Full psychiatric assessments when requested from placing authorities
• Training of Social Work and Education staff in mental health matters.
• Advice and clinical supervision to staff
  
  

Art Therapy will be provided in the near future.

Voice for the Child in Care’ an independent representative visit’s the centre every week [sooner if requested], all young people have an opportunity to discuss or just to talk in confidence. They also represent young people in Reviews.

Each young persons progress is reviewed on a monthly basis. The review is based on the Assessment for Children and Young People areas identified within ‘Good Parenting – Good Outcomes’ and “The Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families”. 

Aldine House operates an Individual Behaviour Programme. This is a token-based economy and provides the staff and young people to ascertain if their behaviours respond to internal or external control mechanisms.