Referral Enquiries
Services Included In Fees
FEATURES OF SERVICES INCLUDED IN FEES
HIGH QUALITY MANAGEMENT, CARE, EDUCATION, STAFF and HOMES MANAGEMENT SUPPORT
Well trained and experienced 24 hour On-call Managers 365 days per year
Each home supported by a House Manager
Each young person supported by a Key Worker
Members of Investors in People
Professional and Supportive Ethos
Regularly reviewed policies and procedures
Committed to collaborative working with emphasis on good communication with Social Workers
Professional weekly and hearing reports
Senior Manager attendance to LAC Reviews and Children’s Hearings
Registered with Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care with good and consistency improving inspection reports
CHILD CARE
Unlimited home visits or attendance at review, hearings or court at no extra cost
Education flexible and appropriate to the young person’s needs and ability
Individualised Care Plans regularly reviewed and monitored
Needs led child centred care planning
Consistent, qualified and dedicated care staff team assigned to each young person
Central tenet of daily care to ensure safety, consistency, routine and structure
Welcome pack of new bedding, towels and toiletries for the young person to keep
Weekly telephone allowance for family and friends contact
Weekly pocket money allowance
Monthly clothing allowance and access to savings scheme
Christmas and birthday presents
Annual holidays for long term placements
Incentivised weekend trips, activities, sporting events etc
Practical home based skill development
Pathway planning, independence training and access to Throughcare practitioners
Consistent favourable feedback received from young people, parents and Social Workers both informally and from end of placement questionnaires and reviews
EDUCATION
Individual education plans integrated into care plans
Directly employed qualified teachers on staff
Learning Centre with computer and IT equipment with regulated internet access
Learning Centre with Arts and Crafts facilities
Registered with ASDAN accredited learning scheme and Personal Social Development Courses (PSD)
Registered with the Institute for Outdoor Learning
Supported Access to mainstream schools
Supported access to local colleges
Supported access to work placements
All school equipment and arts and crafts resources provided
Access to local libraries and community resources
Outdoor education, physical education, sporting and outdoor activities
Opportunities for hobbies, sport and leisure interests
CARE STAFF
All staff fully vetted with Disclosure Scotland checks to enhanced level
All staff trained to SVQ 3 and HNC and Social Care
All staff trained to intermediate level Team Teach de-escalation & physical intervention techniques
Continual programme of topical in-house training provided by qualified practitioners
Mature individuals with life experience selected and trained to provide excellent nurturing care combined with knowledge and authority
Staff teams assembled in order that their individual attributes fit the needs of the young person
HOMES
One or two bedded homes situated in urban or rural locations as appropriate for the young person
Domestic dwellings decorated and furnished to a high standard to provide a modern, light, and airy family environment
Young people actively encouraged to participate fully in healthy eating and running home routines
House vehicles allocated to each house with service schedules and safety inspections monitored
Home safety of paramount importance with electricity, heating and fire safety appliances weekly and annual testing programmes followed rigorously
All homes inspected weekly and to a high standard
Young people encouraged to personalise their own bedrooms
Regulation 33 inspections undertaken on a weekly rotation basis by other House Managers and spot visits by Duty Managers and Senior Management.
Testimonials
“The standards of care at Active Ark are excellent and your Duty Managers systems work exceptionally well – always helpful and effective in my experiences with Active Ark”
Senior Practitioner, Falkirk, 2008
“You presented ability to support her for any aspect of her needs”
Social Worker, Fife, 2009
“A challenging placement, the care provided by Active ark was consistently appropriate”
Social Worker, Dumfries & Galloway, 2007
“Active Ark provided him with a very holistic model of carewhich included working with his whole family. This worked very well for him and definitely contributed to the progress he has made”
Social Worker, Scottish Borders, 2009
“Staff stated that they enjoyed strong support from the management team”
Care Commission Inspector, 2008
“Embracing and working with the whole family to ensure the young person remains an important and included member worked well and helped with solving problems and building resiliences”
Social Worker, Scottish Borders, 2009
“Active Ark are always very helpful and provide a first class service”
Social Worker, Falkirk, 2009
“It is difficult for care staff to remain impassive to the young person and to contribute to keeping the rules/boundaries/routines but your staff are able to provide the young person with all the skills, they are very proficient”
Social Worker, Dumfries & Galloway, 2008
“Communication with staff/managers is very good which contributes to the effect of Social Work involvement”
Social Worker, Fife, 2009
“A high level of care offered for a challenging child and difficult family situation”
Social Worker, Falkirk, 2008
“Thank you so much for all the support you have given to him over the past months. He has made so much progress and it’s all down to the hard work of your staff”
Parent, Scottish Borders, 2008.
“Your care worker had a great deal of patience with my Son, I think he went beyond the call of duty with him”
Parent, 2009
“Active Ark’s service is very competent and well organised”
Social Worker, Dumfries & Galloway, 2008
“The flexibility of both care staff and management enabled her to have input into her care whilst providing the protection that she needed”
Social Worker, Redcar and Cleveland, 2009
“The staff seem to have a good rapport with the family”
Social Worker, Falkirk, 2009
“Keep up the good work and thank you for all your help”
Social Worker, Dumfries and Galloway, 2009.
“The care staff, especially his key worker, helped rebuild his trust in adults and helped him mature as a person”
Social Worker, Scottish Borders, 2009
“He came home from Active Ark a different boy, he is more settled and content”
Parent, 2009
“The staff are good and fair and will always treat you with respect”
Young Person, 2008
“The placement provided a good opportunity for her to take part in new activities in a safe environment”
Social Worker, Falkirk, 2008
“Very happy, Active Ark will always support you”
Young Person, 2008
“I would rate your service as 10 out of 10 - I felt safe all the time”
Young Person, 2008
“Active Ark have always demonstrated fully their reliability and commitment to their work”
Social Worker, Scottish Borders ,2009
“I feel that Active Ark workers do well in sometimes challenging situations”
Social Worker, Scottish Borders, 2009
“Many thanks for your services”
Senior Practitioner, Falkirk, 2008
“Staff clearly knew the young people well and were sensitive to their individual needs and preferences”
Care Commission Inspector, 2008
“I rate your service 9 out of 10 – you listened”
Young Person, 2008
“Your involvement reduced the risks for the young person and for myself”
Social Worker, Fife, 2009
“Thank you very much for the help you gave to my boys while they were with you. I will not forget your caring and patience and the time you dedicated to helping them and talking to them through their time at Active Ark. I know you have made an impact on their lives for the better”
Parent, Falkirk, 2009.
“The continuity of staff who in turn were clearly committed to the young person . There was a good sense of this leading to a good and supportive relationship with the young person”
Social Worker, Falikirk, 2009
“Staff were very caring towards him and ensured that his needs were met”
Social Worker, Cumbria, 2009
“It is acknowledged that staff were very often under a lot of stress when looking after her and considering this, their responses and standard of care was excellent”
Social Worker, Redcar and Cleveland, 2009.
“Your care worker was so very understanding, and yet was able to challenge him and set the necessary boundaries to keep his charge safe”
Family Group Co-ordinator, Falkirk, 2007
“Impressed with committment of staff in a challenging placement”
Social Worker, Falkirk, 2008