Scottish Enterprise Awards 2022 | 21 Best Children’s Care Home 2022 The experienced teams at Horizons pride themselves in operating a bespoke residential childcare service, providing close support on a one-toone basis for young people with complex social, emotional, and behavioural needs. The staff have spent time creating positive, caring environments that nurture growth and achievement of young people and colleagues alike. They are competent and confident in delivering care that aims to meet and exceed the National Care Standards. Each service provided by Horizons is designed to meet the needs of a maximum of three young people. This enables meaningful life space interventions to be sustained and progression made to deepen the positive growing experience that is provided and to support the young people in making sense of their past experiences and recognising their full potential. It is Horizons’ belief that working in partnership with professionals and families, combined with its ethos, will allow it to achieve goals and objectives for looked after children across the United Kingdom. Horizons understands the importance of providing successful placements for looked after children and a cost effective solution to local authorities. Its ethos and practice is underpinned by a grounding in social pedagogy. Social pedagogy exists in many countries around the world, and although it varies from one country to the next, there are similar roots that have developed into differing strands of contemporary thinking. Health Each house has created links with local healthcare services such as GPs, dentists, and opticians. Horizons is also able to access specialist resources where necessary such as its local CAMHS team, smoking cessation, and sexual health clinics. If a young person residing in one of the houses requires access to any healthcare service, Horizons will provide support and encouragement as needed. Community Involvement Each house strives to be mindful of respect towards its neighbours. Horizons’ young people have the right to be treated fairly and with respect, as do the people who live near each house. Its teams encourage young people to be responsible citizens but they do appreciate that these skills have to be learned at a pace appropriate with each young person’s age and stage of development. Positive channels of communication are fostered and neighbours are encouraged to discuss any issues with the team directly in order to support a harmonious partnership. Leisure Leisure time is extremely important to Horizons’ young people and its teams strive to support individuals to have an active and enjoyable lifestyle. Its young people regularly take part in organised outings to ten-pin bowling, the cinema, ice skating, and local restaurants. Each house has developed community links with local libraries, swimming pools, gyms, dance groups, sports clubs, e.g. boxing and karate, and local youth clubs or organised groups. Education Each house has established links with nearby primary and secondary schools as well as specialist education providers within the local authority that may be suitable for young people with identified learning needs. If a young person is unable to attend their former education provision, Horizons will provide opportunity, support, and encouragement in transitioning to a more local provision. Additionally, some of its young people receive home-based tuition, arranged through their local authority which it will happily facilitate. Meanwhile, being encouraged by the level of very good feedback from service users and local authorities, Horizons has, since 2020, embarked upon a programme of renovation and refurbishment which has included investing heavily in developing and extending its range of services. This is in response to rising demand for its bespoke service and has included registering for new services such as care at home, respite care, and single placements up to the age of 25. Horizons plans to open more new services during the course of this year. Ultimately, Horizons’ dedication to providing the very best level of care to children and young people hasn’t gone unnoticed, having been recognised for a series of accolades. It won both the Dream Team and Breaking Barriers awards at the SIRCC Residential Childcare Awards in 2019. Then in 2021, it won the Best Care Home Group – Lothians in the Social Care Awards 2021, as well as the Corporate Live Wire Innovation and Excellence Award 2021. And last but certainly not least, SME News magazine recognises the company as Best Children’s Care Home 2022 – There’s certainly no denying it deserves it! Company: Horizons Residential Care Limited Email: [email protected] Website: horizonsresidentialcare.co.uk Horizons is a bespoke provider of residential care for children and young people aged 8-18 years. Its first house, Westhaven House, was launched in Edinburgh in 2013, and it soon went on to open new houses including Hillview House in Edinburgh in 2015, Braeside House in Fauldhouse, West Lothian in 2016, and Glendale House in Gorebridge, Mid Lothian in 2017. The four houses have seen a high level of success in providing quality care to its users, with the Care Inspectorate having graded its services either ‘Good’ or ‘Very Good’.
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