BARNARDO’S CLUARAN SERVICE

Referral Criteria

• Young people at risk of being looked after away from home.

• Young people already looked after away from home but at risk of being placed in a residential school setting/secure accommodation out with the Falkirk area.

• Young people returning to Falkirk from a residential setting who require a holistic package of support.

Aims of the Service

• To support young people and families in order that, wherever safe and appropriate, young people remain in their own families, schools and communities.

Cluaran

Core Skills

Management

Community

Education

Social Work

Teaching

Residential Child

care

Services Provided

• Individual work• Group work• Family work• Education supports• Volunteer befriending service• Crisis supports• Easter and summer activity

programmes

Education Supports

• Support within classroom.• Support within Pupil Support Base.• Issue-based group work within schools

e.g. self-esteem, bullying.• Individual education supports based

within Cluaran.• Attendance within Cluaran Education

Group.• Cluaran/Forth Valley College group.

Are there routes back to mainstream?

YES!

1. Not for everyone.

2. To be successful this has to be a two-way process – pressures upon young people to conform.

Elements of a successful return to mainstream placement

• Consider the changes that are required on both sides, identify possible barriers to success.

FLEXIBILITY WITH CLEAR MESSAGE FROM SCHOOL WE WANT YOU HERE.• Effective Team Around the Child.GOOD COMMUNICATION WITH REGULAR MEETINGS TO REVIEW PROGRESS.

• Holistic ApproachWORK WITH FAMILY TO ADDRESS ANY BARRIERS AT HOME / RELATIONSHIP ISSUES.

• Listen to young personCONSIDER PACE OF RETURN – WHERE POSSIBLE BUILD UPON THE STRENGTHS OF THE YOUNG PERSON AND THINK ABOUT THE WIDER CONCEPT OF EDUCATION.

Case Study 1 – Background.

• 14 year old male.• Family situation– Dad received brain

injury, family bereavement and sibling in care.

• Excluded due to two serious physical incidents.

• Phased reintegration attempted after first incident was unsuccessful.

Case Study 1 – Barriers.

• Resistance from school on the grounds of safety.

• Different perspectives on where the plan was going and which supports were needed.

• Pace of plan moving too slowly.

Case Study 1 – Outcome.

• Fresh start in new school.• Appropriate curricular programme

including flexible vocational course.• Support transferred where

appropriate.• Young person motivated to make the

right choices.

Case Study 2 – Background.

• 12 year old female.• Experienced significant trauma.• Out of education for significant

periods of primary school and most of S1.

• Resides with grandparents.

Case Study 2 – Barriers.

• School reluctant to take ownership.• Lack of self-esteem – all or nothing.• Pace of plan needed to be more

flexible.• Presents as more mature than

chronological age.

Case Study 2 – Outcome.

• Currently managing the majority of the plan.

• Transition points require significant support and careful planning.

• Relationships at home/with Professionals are stable and supportive.

• Team Around the Child have a shared view now.

Case Study 3 – Background.

• 14 year old female.• Previously a Young Carer for her father

but now living with her mother.• No family history of Services being

involved.• Hospitalisation due to isolated

substance misuse incident led to Social Work being alerted.

Case Study 3 – Barriers.

• She is the ‘invisible child’.• Poor relationships with no support.• Lack of self-esteem and belief.• No peer relationships/isolated in the

community.

Case Study 3 – Outcome.

• Self-aware of risk factors and how to manage them.

• Early stages of peer network formation and relationship building.

• Solution focused approach to acknowledge progress.