The Children’s Accommodation and Support Service
operates and manages children's homes within
Suffolk for some of the most vulnerable and damaged
children from our community. The needs of our children
are extremely diverse; some will have learning difficulties,
some will have experienced significant abuse or harm, some will
need support as they move into adulthood, and all will have
experienced some sort of rejection or exclusion.
Our work is underpinned by the Every Child Matters Agenda.
The key service delivery requirements of staying safe, being
healthy, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution,
and achieving economic wellbeing form the building blocks of the
journey we take with our children and their families.
Our operational programme is monitored by Suffolk Safeguarding
Children's Board and involves the children, families, partner
providers and other stakeholders. We continue to review and
modify our practice in line with legislation and current research
and invest in the development of our service through
the modernisation of our buildings and assets, and the
training and development of our staff.
Our ethos
We aim to provide a wide range of
placement and support options for children based on pedagogic
principals of care. Pedogogic care aims to provide a
safe, nurturing, homely environment for each child founded on
the concepts of total inclusion, 'good parenting', sound
relationships and total partnership working developed and
exchanged between children and staff.
Admission
Admission to all Suffolk County
Council children's homes is by way of initial referral to the
central placements team based at Endeavour House, Ipswich.
All referrals are then assessed and approved by individual home
managers. All possible care is taken to ensure that the
children accommodated meet all the criteria of registration,
placement continuation and eventual discharge as
appropriate.
Our homes
Woodman's Place is a
5-bedroom children's home situated in Martlesham, Ipswich for
children aged between 11 and 16+ years old. The home is
managed by Carolyn Garwood
kaye.garwood@suffolk.gov.uk
Grange Road is a 7-bedroom children's home situated in
Beccles for children within the age range of 7 and 13 years
old. The home is managed by Serena Emberley
serena.emberley@suffolk.gov.uk
Pakefield Road is a 7-bedroom children's home situated in
Lowestoft for children aged between 11 and 18 years old. In
addition, the home has an independence flat for children who
require post-16 support in order to develop practical life
skills. The home is managed by Lisa Davies
lisa.davies@suffolk.gov.uk
Redwood Lodge is a 4-bedroom children's home situated in
Stowmarket. It provides accommodation for children aged
between 11 and 18 years. The home is managed by Sarah
Chesterton
sarah.chesterton@suffolk.gov.uk
Bury Children's Home is currently under construction and
will be operational in December 2010. The home will provide
accommodation for 6 children aged between 11 and 18 years and in
addition will have 2 independence flats. The home will be
managed by Pam Woodard
pam.woodard@suffolk.gov.uk
Upper Church Farm is a 4-bedroom children's home situated
on the outskirts of Rickinghall between Diss and Bury St
Edmunds. It provides accommodation for children aged between
11 and 16+ years. The home is managed by Pam Woodard
pam.woodard@suffolk.gov.uk
Ferngate is the operational centre for the Children's
Accommodation and Support Service and also provides
a 'crash pad' facility for countywide emergency
placements, which are accessed via the emergency duty
service.
Policies associated with the
service
Suffolk County Council Children's Accommodation
Service Behaviour Management policy & guidance,
2011 (Word, 450Kb)
DfE Children's Homes National Minimum Standards
and Regulations, 2011 (pdf,
237Kb)