1. BARNARDO’S CLUARAN SERVICE

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Residential Child care
Management
Cluaran
Core Skills
Social Work
Teaching
Community Education

5. Services Provided Individual work Group work Family work
Education supports
Volunteer befriending service
Crisis supports
Easter and summer activity programmes

6. Education Supports Cluaran/Forth Valley College group.
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.

7. Are there routes back to mainstream?
YES!
Not for everyone.
To be successful this has to be a two-way process – pressures upon young people to conform.

8. 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.

9. Holistic Approach
WORK WITH FAMILY TO ADDRESS ANY BARRIERS AT HOME / RELATIONSHIP ISSUES.
Listen to young person
CONSIDER PACE OF RETURN – WHERE POSSIBLE BUILD UPON THE STRENGTHS OF THE YOUNG PERSON AND THINK ABOUT THE WIDER CONCEPT OF EDUCATION.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.