| The Therapeutic Philosophy The counselling we offer at Ivydene is humanistic and person centered in its philosophy, and based on Carl Rogers belief that given time and appropriate support, individuals have the capacity to grow and heal in a way that is right for them (self actualization). Person centered counselling is holistic, allowing for consideration of all aspects of a young persons life in order to assist them to gain insight and fmd their own healthy way out of their distress. Counselling takes place at a pace and depth appropriate to the young person given their age and understanding. It is important for our therapists to differentiate between counselling and advice and support work. Advice is not part of the counselling process, although as the counsellor they may act as a resource to suggest other appropriate services, and of course support goes hand in hand with the counselling process and if needed additional support may be accessed through staff at Ivydene or other relevant professionals, such as social workers etc. The Aims To provide a responsive yet flexible counselling / therapy service for the young people that live at Ivydene, where sessions can take place in a confidential space within the unit, or as is often preferred by the young people, out in the countryside offering literal space and freedom to discuss issues without constructional boundaries. The Objectives To provide a high quality counselling / therapy service for young people living at Ivydene who may be experiencing distress, feelings of loss, bereavement, isolation, abuse, disruption to their lives and problems coping or coming to terms with their situation. To offer an easily accessible service which offers safety, confidentiality, unconditional positive regard, empathy, congruence and respect. To provide a flexible and helpful response to the young people and outside agencies. To account in service provision for the needs of young people from diverse backgrounds. To offer a non-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice with equality of access to all. To offer support to the families of young people placed with us, whilst the young people are with us and during the process of their rehabilitation home, which is a difficult time for both the young people and their families after a period of often forced separation. To seek out and act upon feedback, evaluation and supervision. The Service Parameters Our service parameters cover young people between the ages of eleven and seventeen on admission that are resident at Ivydene and Ferndene, and where appropriate outreach work with young people who have moved onto independent living but require further counselling and support. At the request of the young persons Social Worker, We can facilitate contacts that require very close supervision. We work closely with the young people and their families both while the young people are placed at Ivydene and during and after their rehabilitation home, this part of the service can be invaluable in the successful return of young people to their families. Work with the young peoples families whilst they are placed with us is so important, (if it is possible) to enable the building of a trusting, working relationship between the family the young person and therapist in the hope that difficulties can be tackled together without the breaching of confidentiality, and in the process of rehabilitation this joint initiative has played a massive part in the successful rehabilitation home for many of our young people. The Location Ivydene Children's Home, 74, Hibbert Lane, Marple, Stockport, SK6 7NT. Alternative appropriate local venues upon request. An Initial Assessment All young people will be invited to an initial assessment, this normally lasts between 30-40 minutes and provides an opportunity for the therapist and the young person to agree the therapy they will receive and provides an opportunity for the young person to ask any questions or voice any concerns he or she may have and perhaps give the therapist the opportunity to dispel any myths the young person may have about the counselling / therapeutic process and help to alleviate any fears the young person may have. Unfortunately some young people may have had negative experiences in therapy, perhaps a frightening experience; the initial assessment is designed to help with these negative feelings. If it is felt that counselling is appropriate then an appointment will be arranged as soon as possible according to the young persons educational timetable and other commitments etc. The counselling process Each counselling session will last between 50 and 60 minutes, sessions longer than this can be negotiated either at the beginning of the session or as the session progresses. Each young person will have appointments every week, dependent on their individual timetables and needs. All young people will be given a contract before embarking on any sessions and will be expected to sign the contract; this is to safeguard both the client and therapist. Sessions will generally take place twice weekly at least initially and according to the needs of the child at any specific time. As both our therapist's work onsite they are easily accessible to the young people without appointment when the young person needs to talk and in times of crisis. Confidentiality Issues Our counsellor adhere's to the B.A.C.P. code of ethics and practice, a copy of which can be located in the office at Ivydene. This document includes guidelines on confidentiality. Confidentiality, and any limitations are discussed during the agreement of the counselling contract. It is made clear that consent is required for any disclosure of information to take place except in the following circumstances. * Where information is given indicating risk of abuse. * Where there is a serious perceived risk of harm to the client or to others. * Where the client gives consent to breach confidentiality. * Where there are definite plans in place to harm themselves, and a clear likelihood of these plans being acted upon * When the counsellor is in need of support or guidance from their supervisor. * If records are demanded by the courts. Monitoring and Evaluation A limited range of data and information is collected. Age. Gender. Structure of the family. Number of appointments attended. Number of did not attends. This information is statistically collated to provide ongoing monitoring of the service. Reports can be obtained upon request. The Complaints procedure The current manager of Ivydene will deal with any complaint, which cannot be resolved, between the young person and therapist, if possible within ten working days. The decision of the manager may be appealed by writing to the director of the company. If a young person feels unhappy about the way a complaint has been dealt with, he or she can pass the complaint on to the relevant professional organization, the B.A.C.P. through the Manager at Ivydene. Should you require additional information please contact our therapist's or the home Manager. |
Therapy
We employ two in house therapists within our home
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