As
children with special needs move on through teenage years to adulthood,
one of the big worries which they (and their families) face is :
where will they go next? They will no longer be children, and so
children’s homes and schools will no longer be appropriate.
If they cannot be with their families, they face a period of uncertainty
and upheaval. Where will they end up? And how will the gap between
teenage and adulthood be bridged? This article outlines one solution.
The
Hesley Group philosophy is one of care – caring for people
with special needs for as long as they need support, and if necessary
for the whole of their lives. The Hesley Group Village was the first
step in this direction of offering education and care well beyond
the ages of 16-25, when, in 1999 the Group was able to purchase
a large plot of land behind Hesley Hall, the first school in the
Hesley Group of schools, and begin putting into place plans to develop
a fully functional village community.
Hesley
Hall had opened in 1975 as a school for boys with emotional and
behavioural difficulties (EBD) and after 23 successful years it
finally closed its doors in 1998 as an EBD junior school and reopened
the following year as the Hesley Village and College, a post 16
centre for young people and adults with complex and severe learning
difficulties. When it is finally finished in 2005, the Village will
consist of high quality accommodation in flats, houses and bungalows
for a total of approximately 75 people. The village will include
shops, a café, hairdresser, cinema, leisure library, village
hall and workshops.
The
Group has now taken a further step in caring for adults with complex
needs: Community Solutions. This concept will help to extend options
for long-term community living for adults with autism and learning
disabilities. The Group aims to enable its residents to achieve
their potential for a full, independent, adult life by using all
the skills, service models and facilities at its disposal. Small
homes are being developed for both individuals and small groups
initially situated in and around towns within North Nottinghamshire,
Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire.
People
living in the homes will have access to local leisure, recreational,
learning and vocational skills centres for daytime or evening activities.
The houses will be up to four bedrooms in a normal house, and generally
all bedrooms will have their own en-suites and be for single occupancy.
The rooms will be decorated and furnished to individual choice where
possible. Integration into the local community is vital to enable
Group residents to interact with, comprehend and manage their contacts
with the outside world. This is the world in which they will want
to spend an increasing amount of their adult lives, as they move
along the path set in their person-centred plan towards more independent
living. The quality of care and daytime activities will be based
on National Care Standards legislation and extensive normalisation
principles.
For
further information call Anil Mistry on 01302 866906, or email amistry@hesleygroup.co.uk
