The Rhema Projects has been delivering Semi Independent Accommodation services to Looked After Children since 2012. We provide focused, high quality support alongside accommodation for young people including unaccompanied minors with complex and diverse backgrounds. Working across a number of Local Authorities, our professional, experienced and committed staff guide and inspire young people to sustainable and authentic independence.

Meeting identified needs and outcomes

Staff provide continual support inspiring engagement and responding to service users’ needs as they work through their co-authored support plan and life skills programmes. Our staff guide young people as they develop the life skills required to sustain genuine independence and fulfill their potential. Our Independence Skills Programme is designed with and for young people exiting a care environment and it is because of the input we have had from former service users, we can be confident it meets young people’s needs.

Our staff have a great deal of experience with young people will be supported to various appointments such as CAMHS, GP, Dentist, Opticians, Youth Offending appointments, Court Attendance, PEP, Support Young People as an ‘appropriate person’ where required, Solicitor and Home Office appointments working with ‘Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers’ who will go on to seek asylum following their 18th birthday. Our staff team have excellent knowledge of the legal framework and experience of working with specialist agencies and other stakeholders involved in supporting those seeking safe haven.

Staff receive training in working with young people who are new to using English and use interpreters where required. The Rhema Projects translates key documents into the language of the young person and has strong partnerships in place with the Refugee Council, local CAMHS, various local counselling services and specialist medical organisations working with victims of trauma. Almost all of the looked after children we work with experience challenges that result from separation, and many from other trauma too, and our staff help and encourage young people to access the services appropriate to their needs.

Meeting educational needs

Our staff have a strong focus on supporting young people into education and training and supporting them to build strong links with local colleges and training organisations to enable good progress towards independence.  

The feedback we are able to gather through a range of formal and informal mechanisms (including one-to-one key work sessions, service evaluation/placement feedback and house meetings) enables The Rhema Projects to develop services that meet young people’s needs. We have learned that intertwining the needs of young people and service commissioners delivers the most successful results for all parties.

Consulting with young people, parents, carers and professionals

The young people in our care will live in a culture that encourages active participation in the decision-making process that impact on their lives. We consult with our residents on a regular basis through resident meetings and two anonymous feedback boxes located on the ground and first floors and their feedback is used to empower and improve our service. We also work in close partnership with parents and carers to utilise their unique and valuable insight into the needs of their child. We value your opinion and will keep you informed about your child’s progress at all times.   

On a day to day basis we offer:

• An allocated key worker and weekly key work sessions
• Monthly reports to allocated social worker charting the progress of the young person
• Individual Support Plan and Risk Assessments
• Staff support to attend all appointments including health, education, Home Office
• Representation at Looked After Children Reviews, PEP’s and statutory visits
• Life and Independence Living Skills support
• In-house education support
• Move on support

A range of specialist care

The Rhema Projects strives to provide strategies, support and solutions to some of the most difficult challenges involving young people. Working closely with local authorities and professional bodies The Rhema Project’s aim is to ensure that each and every young person is placed in an environment that suits their individual care needs. Our care is young person centred and intent on delivering the highest quality of standards in an environment that is stimulating, nurturing and homely.

We work closely with our young people, their parents (where applicable), carers and professionals to identify the strategies, resources and learning that will help them overcome their personal challenges and thrive. We strive to design and deliver individual support plan that will support the young people in our care achieve their personal objectives and promote significant life opportunities leading to a fulfilling and independent adult life.

From point of referral we work in partnership with families, carers, commissioners, stakeholders and the young person themselves to identify the most suitable care placement that will fully meet their needs. Our range of care options can be tailored to the individual’s circumstances and are appropriate to their level of need. These services include:

• Placements up to 52 weeks per year
• Planned and emergency same-day placements
• Respite and short term placements
• Care planning in conjunction with local authorities

Our staff have a very clearly laid out procedure for introduction into The Rhema Projects. The full details of Registration, Training and Ongoing Support can be found HERE

Highly skilled and motivated staff teams

Our staff teams are trained, highly motivated and intent on achieving the best possible outcomes for the young people in their care. We recruit and develop only those talented individuals who share our values and ambition for the service that we operate. In turn we ensure that they are led by Managers whose focus is on the welfare of the young people, the development of their workforce and the continual improvement of their home.     

The Rhema Projects employs staff with a wide and diverse background and experience to compliment the staff team and provide a high ratio off staff to children support, as well as a mixture of skills, and gender and ethnic background balance. We employ both male and female staff to help promote role modelling.

All staffing levels will be based around the individual needs of the young people, subject to risk assessments and what is outlined within their support plan and the agreement obtained through their referral and their placement plan meeting with their social worker. This will be reviewed in line with the changing needs of young person or group dynamics. Our Independence Skills Programme is designed with and for young people exiting a care environment and it is because of the input we have had from former service users, we can be confident it meets young people’s needs. Our staff are trained and experienced to deal with all areas of care for our young people. This includes:

• Child Sexual Exploitation – keeping safe, managing risk from outside and working closely with Police. 
• Self-harm – providing nurturing support staff and managing risks by agreed room checks and supervision. 
• Life skills course – learning to be fully independent and life after 18.
• Unaccompanied Asylum seeking young people – Home Office/Immigration issues as well as cultural differences and integration.

In addition we offer:

• Additional staffing available when necessary, if it is felt a young person would benefit from 2-1 support.
• A waking night member of staff 7 days per week, 52 weeks of the year
• In some circumstances there may be a need to incorporate additional waking night staff along with sleep in member of staff, based on assessed needs or risks of a Young Person.