Introduction
We want you to be happy in your home. You
are welcome to bring friends in provided their behaviour is OK and
does not cause problems for others, but please check with staff
first. We do ask that your friends do not visit during school
hours and that they leave by 9.00 pm.
The house has seven single bedrooms, including a preparation for
leaving care flat, for chil-dren between the ages of 12 and
16+. There is also a large computer and games room, a TV and
music lounge, a dining room, a telephone room and a garden.
The home is regularly inspected to make sure we are taking
good care of you.
Location
Our home is a large detached house with its own garden in
Lowestoft. It enjoys views over the North Sea and is close to
a sandy beach that is a popular attraction for holiday makers in
the sum-mer.
The home is situated near a main bus route to the town centre
which has a popular shopping centre, swimming pool, sports cen-tre,
cinemas, theatre, bowling alley, railway station, fast food shops,
theme park, etc. There are also youth clubs, dance classes,
football teams and drama groups that you could join if you
wish.
Routines
For any home to run smoothly, we need to have some sort
of routine, however times have to be changed when activities or
outings are arranged or something special is
happening.
Meal Times
We like to be quite flexible but do try to have our meals
all together.
Mealtimes are
usually:
| Breakfast |
7.30 am to 9.00 am |
| Lunch (weekends/holidays) |
12 noon to 1.00 pm |
| Evening meal |
5.00 pm to 6.00 pm |
| Supper |
8.30 pm to 9.30 pm |
Bed Times
There is no set bedtime but everyone is expected to be in their
rooms by 9.45 pm.
Pocket Money and Incentive Awards
You will be given your pocket and incentive money on Saturday
mornings. |
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Staff
There are staff in the house all the time. Some are there
in the mornings to get you off to school, some are there when you
come home and others are there all night to keep you safe. At
night, all the external doors are kept locked.
Keyworkers
Every child will have their own Keyworkers. Your
Keyworkers are members of staff who will take a particular interest
in you and make sure that things work out for you. They will
also help you to buy your clothes and toiletries, make doctor’s,
dentist’s and optician’s appointments if you need them and provide
support for you at school. They will also attend your Reviews
and help you keep in touch with your family, friends and Social
Worker.
Records and Files
As you probably know, we do keep files about you. The files are
to help you, so you can look at them if you wish and put in
anything you think should be in them. The files are very helpful in
making sure nothing gets forgotten at your Review meetings but they
are private to you and only those people who need to know are
allowed to see inside.
Fire
When you arrive at Pakefield Road you will do a fire drill to
make sure you know how and where to get out of the building as
quickly as possible if there is a fire.
Be Healthy
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At Pakefield Road we encourage a healthy life-style. Your
fitness is important to you so we will help and encourage you to
take part in sport and other activities. If you would like to
join a sports or activity based club, just ask your Keyworker to
help you.
To maintain your fitness level, good food is essential. We
have a cook to prepare our main meal of the day and there are
always plenty of different healthy dishes to choose from.
Sometimes you may like to prepare your own food in the kitchen, but
take care as kitchens can be dangerous
places. |
You will need to be registered with a doctor, dentist and optician
and your Keyworkers will help you do that.
The house is a non-smoking building for everyone and there’s
always plenty of help for young people who want to give up smoking.
Just ask staff and they will put you in touch with people who can
help you.
We do not allow drugs or alcohol in the house and, if we find
any, we will take them away. Information about giving up
smoking or the real health and safety risks associated with drug
and alcohol abuse, is available to you in the home. Just ask
any member of staff to help.
Stay Safe
For your safety, it is very important to tell staff
where you are going when you go out and what time you will be
back. If you know you are going to be late, please phone
us.
Your bedroom is your own private place where you can lock the
door and have time and space to yourself. You will have your
own television, but please think of others and don’t have it on too
loud. You will also have a special place in your room where
you can lock away anything that is really valuable to you.
For everyone’s safety, we prefer you not to take visitors in your
room.
To keep everyone safe, we do not allow children to have any
weapons. This means such things as guns or imitation guns,
knives, swords, catapults or bows and arrows. Any weap-ons
brought into the house are confiscated.
Sometimes, children get upset or angry and out of control.
Staff always put your safety first and will not let you harm
yourself or others. They may have to hold you to stop you
and, at times, this can be upsetting for everyone. It helps
to talk it all through with somebody of your choice after things
have calmed down.
Bullying at the home is not acceptable, whether it is
name-calling, teasing, pushing or pull-ing, fighting, ignoring or
leaving others out or spreading rumours. If you feel you are
being bullied or you see any bullying, please speak to a member of
staff or the Children’s Rights Officer, Bridget, who visits us
every month. If you are a victim of bullying, or a bully
yourself, staff will do something to prevent this.
Further information on how to stay safe and how to deal with
bullying can be found in your resource pack. Staff will help
you with this.
Make a Positive Contribution
Teenspirit is a group we run where we get together to help us all
look at the many issues that are important to teenagers. This
can include such things as bully-ing, drugs, alcohol, and
relationships. It is the place where you can have your say,
ask the things you want to know and discuss topics that are
important to you. We also talk about the way the home is run
and any new ideas or things you would like to happen are then taken
to the staff’s meetings for them to discuss. |
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If you are unhappy or have any problems or worries you can’t share
with the group, you can use an ‘I want you to know’ form and give
it to the Manager who will always answer you. You can also speak to
the Children’s Rights Officer who visits us every month.
You will have the opportunity to join a Steering Group.
This is a group of children, parents, neighbours, local business
people, staff, teachers and people from Social Care who meet
regularly to talk about the various issues and goals of the
Home.
The Children’s Home is the place where people can feel safe,
relax and be comfortable. Although we have a cleaner,
everyone is expected to help keep our home looking nice and a
healthy place to live. Your bedroom is your private place so
it is up to you to keep it clean and tidy.
Living together can sometimes have its difficulties. We
are all unique with different habits, likes, dislikes and
expectations so we must respect each other for what we are and
treat everybody with the same respect.
Children who continually disrespect others or our home, will
sometimes be given sanctions. These could be deductions from
pocket money, being left out of activities or doing house-hold
chores, but there is always the opportunity to earn these back.
Enjoy and Achieve
Everyone at Pakefield Road is expected to go to school.
Your education is extremely important and staff, especially your
Keyworkers, will do everything they can to support you in your
school and help you keep up with your studies.
In our recreation room we have four computers, linked to the
Internet, for you to use for your homework and we run a weekly
homework club where teachers join in to give you any extra help you
may need.
We have lots of art and craft things, games, a karaoke
machine, dance mats, play stations and lots of things to
do.
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If you attend school regularly or
follow your weekly plan, you will be rewarded with incentive money
on top of your pocket money. You can choose to spend or save
this. If you want help in saving your money towards something
special, Keyworkers will help you to open a bank ac-count. If
you do well at school, you may also get your own laptop, which you
can take with you when you leave here.
Everyone loves to read and, as well as the selection of books
brought here by local library staff, you can select a magazine of
your own. |
As well as the everyday activities, we sometimes organise foreign
holidays and camps for children, based on their behaviour and
achievement during the year.
We also use any excuse to have a party, not just on your
birthday. There’s Valentine’s Day, Christmas and Easter,
Pancake Day, Bonfire Night and other special religious and cultural
days, when we like to have fun.
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Achieve Economic Well Being
During your last year at school - Year 11
- we will help you learn how to look after yourself in the
future. You will be given opportunities to learn how to cook,
pay bills and generally care for yourself which will help you when
you leave here. There is a book and resource pack called
‘Sorted’ that will help you do this.
When you are 16 and working towards your first job or career, you
may be able to move into our independence flat where you will have
your own kitchen, sitting room, bedroom and bathroom and practice
looking after yourself. Staff and other people will provide
help and advise you during this
time. |
You may want information and advice about a job or career, so we
will be working closely with you and your Connexions advisor.
People who can help
Our Children’s Rights Officer visits our home
regularly. Once a month, they visit the Home to have tea with
you and will discuss any problems or concerns you may have about
your care. These may be very private things which you may
prefer not to talk about with the home’s staff. Amongst other
things, the Children’s Rights Officer may ask you if you would like
to be involved in various things which may include the training and
selection of staff.
Children’s Rights Officer: 01473 583468.
The Safeguarding Manager visits the home every
month and produces an independent report which goes into great
detail about your care and the way the home operates. The
Safeguarding Manager is interested in hearing what you think about
your care.
Safeguarding Manager: 01502 405176
Our visiting Nurse will keep an eye on your
health and will listen to your worries and concerns.
Visiting Nurse: 01449 776055
From April 1st 2007 we will be inspected by OFSTED. Each
Children's Home have a designated OFSTED
Inspector. OFTSTED is a government organisation that
inspects all children's homes to make sure they are run well and
follow your care plan. They visit twice a year. Before
they come, they will send you a questionnaire to fill in and during
the visits and may ask you questions. The phone number is
08456 404040.
If you cannot talk to any of these people about your problems,
then try Information Support. They are an
informal friendly service for children aged between 13 and
19. They offer time in a safe place to talk to someone who
will listen. They also provide up-to-date information on
subjects of interest to you including relationships, education and
training, health, sex and sexuality, drugs and alcohol, rights and
responsibilities. You can call in, phone or write to them
at:
Information and Support
Suffolk House
(Above McDonalds)
London Road North
Lowestoft
01502 513547