Sunbeam Gardens, a Marlowe Home
Sunbeam Gardens is a four-bedded home providing medium to long-term care in a genuine therapeutic and emotionally containing environment for vulnerable young women, 10 - 18 years with psychological, behavioural and personality difficulties. Among this group are young women who present with mental health problems (including self-injury), as well as attachment disorders, risk-taking behaviour, absconding and sexual vulnerability.
Sunbeam Gardens will also consider girls with Mild Learning Disabilities and and/or Pervasive Developmental Disorders such as Autism. A number of Sunbeam Gardens’ young people have had recent experience of lengthy Section 25 Welfare Secure Accommodation orders; with the home working very closely with the placing authority and others to ensure carefully managed transitions. Sunbeam Gardens is managed by Elaine Philpott.
Sunbeam Gardens focuses on helping young people mature, develop and grow. Most have had difficult early childhoods, often compounded by other issues, such as mental health problems. Many also have significant and display disturbed and disturbing behaviour. The staffing ratios are high (usually 3 staff to 4 young people minimum) to allow both high levels of supervision and individual interventions. Historically, some young people have also displayed high levels of sexual vulnerability. Further some have dealt with significant self-worth and anxiety difficulties by absconding and self-harm.
Sunbeam Gardens provides a homely, nurturing environment. It is located a few miles from the city of Gloucester, in the village of Rudford. The home provides some of the elements of privacy and safety associated with a rural location, without being totally isolated.
Elaine and her staff, along with psychologist Fiona Tait, focus on ensuring each individual young person is offered, first and foremost, an environment in which they can experience feelings of safety and a sense of belongingness. The young people are encouraged to participate in the running of Sunbeam Gardens helping in decision making around the furnishings, activities and the day to day running of the home. Each young person is helped to feel important, what ever their level of ability and functioning. The ‘valuing’ process is the basis of a therapeutic relationship that is the foundation of the work undertaken at Sunbeam Gardens.
This philosophy is rooted in a Humanistic approach. However, therapeutic interventions from the staff on a day-to-day basis (as well as individual therapy sessions) draw upon eclectic elements of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and psychotherapeutic ideas. A similar philosophical approach informs Behaviour Management Programmes and Reactive Plans, along with a comprehensive assessment and regularly evaluated formal psychological testing. This includes assessments covering Self-Esteem/Self-Concept, Locus of Control, Personality/Conduct (SKID), Mental Health (KONORS & CH PAS-ADD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Interview, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (measure of functional ability and cognitive profile) Autism (Sensory Profile, Empathy Checklist, CARS) Aspergers (OASIS). Comprehensive written reports detailing the assessments, Behaviour Management Programmes and Reactive Plans and written updates on individual therapy are provided by Psychologist Fiona Tait to the placing authority on a regular basis; as well as general monthly updates, incident reports etc.
Much emphasis at Sunbeam Gardens is given to providing boundaries, structure and calmness to the lives of the young people. Many come from chaotic homes and have had chaotic, abusive early experiences. Their insecurity and low-self esteem is exacerbated if there is not predictability and a sense that their safety is Sunbeam Gardens' highest priority. This level of structure, along with stable senior staffing ensure that the risk of placement disruptions are minimised. Further, the staffing ratio's are high (usually 3 staff to 4 young people minimum) to allow both high levels of supervision and individual interventions.
Sunbeam Gardens sets great stall by the importance of good basic care. The environment needs to be clean, tidy, warm and well maintained for the young people to feel valued. There is also great emphasis on providing a healthy and balanced diet, structured bedtimes to ensure they have adequate sleep as well as supporting a positive and active social life.
Sunbeam Gardens has been particularly successful in the past in helping many educationally disadvantaged and disenchanted young people successfully return to full-time education. Many young people admitted to Sunbeam Gardens have missed out on the benefits of stability in their school lives. Providing stability and support at home is the first stage of re-engaging young people in school or college. Many young people at Sunbeam Gardens have benefited from attending the Marlowe Special School. Some have also gone to mainstream school or one of the local colleges. Most have achieved genuine and measurable success, including success in examinations such as GCSEs, as well as in vocational subjects.
Sunbeam Gardens has excellent outcomes, with some of the most disturbed and disturbing young people. In particular they have proven success in reducing negative and risk taking behaviours such as absconding and self-harm. They have also made significant improvements in communication skills, relationships skills, self-help skills and in school attendance and attainment.
Staff Training focuses on the essential elements of working with young people, as well as specialist training on self-injury, mental health problems and ASD. 100% of Sunbeam Gardens’ staff in the post for more than six months are undertaking or have completed NVQ Level III as a minimum. All staff also receive supervision from Peter Kelly, consultant psychotherapist and Fiona Tait, psychologist, as well as managerial supervision.
Sunbeam Gardens has regularly been regarded as achieving or exceeding standards in the five areas highlighted by ‘Every Child Matters’ - ‘Staying Safe’, ‘Being Healthy’, ‘Enjoying and Achieving’, ‘Achieving Economic Well-Being’ and ‘Making a Positive Contribution’. Positive outcomes include helping some young people successfully return to family life, or moving on to independence.
In its most recent Ofsted report (2010) Sunbeam Gardens achieved OUTSTANDING in three categories, with GOOD in all other areas judged.
Sunbeam Gardens - Image gallery
