Latest Resources

The Options Group Clinical Team have created a series of help sheets offering advice and guidance for parents and carers who look after children, young people and adults with autism.

The Hillcrest Group Clinical Team have created a series of help sheets offering advice and guidance to carers, professionals and local authorities for children and young people who have experienced developmental trauma.

A range of useful articles, worksheets and videos for direct work  with children and young people.

National Institute for Care and Excellence (NICE) offers excellent resources aimed specifically at corporate parents and includes key messages from each of the quality statements, key resources, further information and practical tools all of which are relevant to this audience. The resource also contains links to relevant OFSTED judgements. The resource has been co-produced by the NICE Collaborating Centre for Social Care and key people in the social care sector and is an essential reading for those thriving to achieve excellence in care.

Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) offers extensive guidance, advice and resources for staff working with cared for children and care leavers.

• First 2-3 visits are announced to build a rapport with the management, staff and young people. From then on visits are either undertaken at short notice or unannounced.
• Visits take place any day of the week, including Saturday and Sunday, between 8 am to 8 pm.
• Visits are supplemented by phone calls and email correspondence with linked professionals and family.
• One or more specific topics or themes are reviewed in the greater detail, to provide extended level of assurance.
• The independent person resumes the role of a “critical friend” and may make suggestions and recommendations for consideration, based on legislative requirements and best practice within care sector.
• The home is able use independent person’s extensive social care sector experience and expertise unreservedly.
• The independent person holds a relevant professional liability insurance, criminal background check and safeguarding training.
• The independent person’s reports offers an objective, impartial and balanced overview of the home.
• The independent person offers verbal updates to the responsible person after every visit.
• The independent person is child-focussed and unbiased.