Vision and values

We aim to provide young people with the kind of parental support and attention they may have missed while growing up, to help them learn about being human, how to understand their emotions and how to better handle the consequences of those emotions.  We aim to give them security so they can stay still and actually feel safe for a while, so they can feel cared for without the option of running away from this feeling.

We aim to help them learn about themselves and the choices they can make for the future through everyday relationships with staff, teachers and other young people.  We aim to support and build their skills in learning at school so they can gain qualifications and start to believe in their own ability to achieve.  We aim to provide all young people we care for with the necessary support so that they are ready, willing and prepared for their next home.

We believe we should strive at all times:

•  To place young people at the centre of what we do and work together in making decisions about their lives
• To be open, honest and genuine about our needs and those of the young people we care for in a way which each young person can manage
• To pay attention to all the needs of each young person – health, emotional well-being and education
• To work closely with others caring for our young people so that moving on from our home is likely to work in the best way it can for their future
• To give our young people every opportunity to develop a need for learning that remains with them after they leave our home
• To respect the right of each young person to have their needs met, and at the same time to help them see that other people have the same rights for their needs to be respected
• To work in creative and innovative ways to achieve the best we can for our young people
• To be as well informed and trained as possible, whatever our job at the home
• To understand how best to build nurturing and caring relationships with young people who struggle to believe they are worth caring for, or place their trust in others
• To support and care for each other as staff members and model better ways of doing this for our young people
• To find hobbies, pastimes and interests that will continue to stimulate them outside our home, and help them see they deserve to be included in everyday activities that other young people enjoy
• To celebrate and recognise success with our young people as a result of informal or formal achievements.

Our Pledge

The Pledge is a list of promises that we are making to all children and young people in care in Devon. It also tells the adults who work with children in care what they should be doing to support you.