CHILDREN'S SERVICES

SEAMEADOWS - BROADSTAIRS

We offer short, medium to long term care for two small groups of young people, aged between 10 years and 16 years upon admission, who are from backgrounds of distress and disruption. They will have been overwhelmed by negative experiences the terror of abuse, the misery of family and fostering breakdown. The past will have a profound effect on their lives and they may be unable to contemplate the future. They will be vulnerable, unsafe and angry.

We are committed to maintaining a well-thought out, healing environment, and believe that trust will develop from the testing of boundries which, if clear and consistent, will enable young people to feel safe, explore their emotional pain and develop their sense of worth. We strive to maintain a balanced approach that is both nurturing recognizing that developmental needs have been denied and realistic, helping young people to understand that their actions have consequences.

It is our aim that every young person who is placed with us will experience safety, a sense of belonging and of feeling valued. The growth and change that may then take place will better equip them to manage their future relationships.

THERAPEUTIC SERVICES

We believe that is vital for these young people, with an extreme diversity of issues, to have access to a range of therapeutic approaches.

The therapeutic thread runs through all our work at Sea Meadows and whilst visiting psychotherapists offer individual sessions for the young people, and work from an integrative arts model, as a staff group we are committed to the use of a wide range of creative media to support both 1:1 and group work. We hold the belief that the creative arts such as Sand Play, Puppetry, Music, Drama and Art can provide a safe arena in which to convey powerful and profound feelings, to say what might otherwise be unsayable, and to offer wider options of being, thinking and feeling. The use of imagery is invaluable in enabling young people who suffer from disturbed thinking to understand and to be understood.

INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES

Alongside a stable living environment, young adults often require focused support and advice to manage difficult situations and to learn the skills they need day to day. Basic living skills are essential to build a strong foundation for adult life and providing young people with the opportunity to develop them creates tangible benefits now and in the future.

We offer young people from the age of fourteen upwards a program to suit their individual needs and this is changeable to the ability of the young person. Seameadows provide accommodation and support that helps residents develop existing skills and learn new ones so they are better equipped to achieve their goals and mange the demands that day-to-day living presents.