Providing Therapeutic Residential Care and
Aftercare for Children and Young People
Aftercare for Children and Young People
Tel: 01 283 2071
Glensilva is a medium to long-term residential centre catering for boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18 years (younger children can be considered in certain circumstances).We aim to provide a caring, stable and emotionally holding environment which strivers to address the young person’s past hurts and present difficulties.
While Glensilva is an open mainstream residential service we provide a therapeutic model of care, using the Therapeutic Community Approach, this model of care is aimed at meeting the emotional, cognitive and social developmental needs of each child.
The model also provides extra training and support for the staff team through monthly therapeutic consultation sessions with an outside facilitator, this space provides time for reflection on practice and allows new avenues of thinking to develop. We also have regular process group meetings also facilitated by an experienced psychotherapist; this meeting allows individual team members to look at the impact of the task on them as individuals and the influence they bring to bear on the young people and on the team. Both sessions look at issues of accountability and responsibility to the young people in our care, to our co workers to the organisation and most importantly to ourselves as professional workers and as private individuals.
Each resident is assigned a Key Worker who has special responsibilities regarding the child’s needs and planning for their future. The purposeful use of the Key work relationship and the group living experience are central to the therapeutic community approach.
The main principles the TC addresses include such issues as our attachments, and relationships, their importance and ongoing influence on our lives. There is encouragement and support of the young person to participate in their own recovery from past hurts and traumas and planning for their future. The TC also aims to give a sense of belonging by providing a stable environment with low turnover of staff and young people; this helps in the development of predictable responses, a continuity of care within the home which in turn aids the growth of a positive sense of identify.
A Placement Plan is developed for each resident which identifies their individual needs and promotes development, positive change and social skills. Each resident is encouraged and assisted in their educational / training pursuits and the development of talents and interests.
These plans are made in agreement with the young person, social worker, staff team and family, during referral / admission and at review meetings.
Where possible and appropriate family contact is encouraged and nurtured and family members are included and encouraged to participate in the care of their child.
Independent living training is provided for the older residents and aftercare is addressed comprehensively with the young person and all involved in the care plan. Community links are encouraged and positive relationships with friends outside the house are supported. Many of the young people come back to visit and keep in touch by phone, we hold an annual BBQ during the summer and we love to catch up with all the young people and share some memories.
We accept referrals for boys and girls from Social Workers in the H.S.E. Dublin/Mid-Leinster region. The age range for referrals is 12 to 18 years, with younger children considered in certain circumstances.
Referrals for admission must be submitted to:
Committee Secretary, Central Referrals Committee, HSE Dublin/Mid-Leinster, 52 Bloomhill Road, Tallaght
Procedures and requirements for submitting Referrals are contained in Central Referral Committee Statutory and Voluntary Children’s Residential Centres, Revised Policy and Procedures document, January 2013, copies of which can be obtained from the above address.
Following receipt of a referral for a child / young person, an assessment is made as to the suitability of the referral to our Centre. This is referred to as the “Local Process”, details of which can be found in the above mentioned document.
Social Workers will also be required to complete a Risk Assessment Form
The Local Process involves meetings with the child/young person and his family, his Social Worker, the Centre Manager, key worker and staff team. This is done through a number of meetings, day visits, overnights both weekday and weekends and a final series of consecutive overnights. The child / young person and Social Worker are given a programme of all overnights, visits, meetings and an admission date. This process is usually completed in 3-4 weeks.
On completion of a successful admission procedure, an outline Placement Plan is drawn up and agreed and a placement is offered to the child / young person.