Area Camden
Area Camden is a residential unit offering a home to 5 young people aged 7-17 years in Camden Town and was designed by young people in the care system.
Area Camden is split over four floors: The basement provides a storage room, on this floor there is also a separate bathroom with a toilet and separate shower room with a toilet.
The entrance to this house has been recently renovated, the front part of the home has been made into a lounge area, the children chose the decor and furniture.
The Ground floor houses the staff office/meeting room within the office there are secure storage facilities for the safety of all young people’s possessions and confidential files. The office will be secure at all times to ensure that client records and other confidential documents are protected. There are also two double bedrooms on this floor with en- suite shower rooms and a fully equipped kitchen. The yard area can also be accessed from the ground floor. This area has been developed by the young people living in the home. The first floor has a lounge/kitchen and separate bathroom, this will be for a young person who can demonstrate independence while still needing support from living in the home. It can also be used by a young person who requires a room as the kitchen can be locked off. A further room has been decorated for young people to use as a quiet study space but also offers a relaxing environment if young people want to access it to relax.
The second floor has two bedrooms, one large double and a double room.
All bedrooms will be accessible with the master key held by staff members. Young people will be encouraged to personalise their room and will have a choice of feature wall decorations. All soft furnishings and bedding are flame retardant to promote fire safety. Young people will have a lockable cabinet in their room for personal belongings as part of their bedroom furniture. Young people will have a choice of either doing their homework in the study or in their own bedroom.
Area Camden is located in Camden Town North London. Camden is a culturally diverse borough with up to 120 different languages spoken within the local schools. Rail services and bus routes easily accessible. The local community’s varied leisure facilities include, a cinema, various cafes a swimming pool, London Zoo and many sports centres. There is good access to the regent’s park and recreational facilities.
Area Camden provides 24-hour care for young people who would benefit from living within residential care that is nearer to family home setting as possible. Places can be offered to large sibling groups to enable them to stay together provided that appropriate risk assessment supports the viability of this proposition. Area Camden can offer 52-week placements and short, medium or long term placements with the provision for emergency placements regulated by a strict process of risk assessments to ensure the safety of other children placed within the home.
Area Camden believes that each child and young person is entitled to a safe living environment under the protection of a high quality and well-trained staff team. The home offers a stable, caring family environment, which promotes positive attitudes and proactive support to each young person in its care.
Our emphasis is on creating a holistic environment where young people are encouraged to explore their potential and develop their personality. Overall we believe that these aims will be achieved through positive re-enforcement, nurtured in an atmosphere of fun, and laughter, (where appropriate), also through empathy and non-judgmental support when working through difficult issues. In summary we believe that Area Camden is available as a resource for our young people at a time that is often characterized by crisis in their lives.
Area Camden will guide and assist each young person to achieve their personal best, to prepare them for their future and to help them to deal with their past. Each young person will be given every opportunity to be successful in educational and life skills achievements.
Our Approach
Many of our young people have experienced a number of placement moves that are both unsettling and disruptive to their lives. As a result, the need for a safe and consistent approach is an integral part of providing them with quality care.
Education and Care Planning
Area Camden believes that education is essential for intellectual, social, emotional and physical development and can be a stable factor in the young person’s life. Education nurtures self-esteem; confidence and resilience and enables integration, future choices and independence.
Our commitment is to ensure educational stability and progress.
Consultation with Young People
We encourage the young people to have an active involvement with the running of the home. We believe that all young people have valuable opinions, which need to be taken into account. I
It is fundamental to the ethos of Area Camden that no decision is made without full consultation with the young person concerned. Consultation will be encouraged on a range of issues.
Behaviour Management
We believe that it is the responsibility of all staff to communicate with young people about what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. It is the responsibility of staff to maintain safe and appropriate boundaries with, and between, staff and young people.
Consistency and fairness are key ingredients to developing a safe and positive atmosphere.
Recreation
Area Camden believe that it is extremely important for young people to be actively encouraged and supported in their choice of recreational and cultural activities and the promotion of leisure, sport and cultural activities for young people.
We believe that team building and group activities help promote self-esteem and help those in our care to grow in confidence and give our full support to educational activities and visits.
Religious and cultural needs
We are committed to supporting the religious and cultural needs of each young person who lives in the home. We believe that a young person’s cultural identity & ethnic heritage are an integral part of their character and should be promoted. Young people have the right to grow up with a full sense of their identity and that this will be achieved by promoting diversity and creating an atmosphere of tolerance and acceptance.
No young person will be discriminated against on the grounds of their age, gender, ethnic origin, core beliefs or sexuality. Staff at Area Camden will endeavour at all times to offer young people real choices that reflect their age, maturity, understanding and cultural background.
Positive relationships
Area Camden will agree during Placement Planning meetings with the Placing Authority the arrangements for individual child to see their family and friends as per their individual relevant plans.
Staff will promote opportunities to build positive friendships in the home and out in the community, and friendships that may have a negative impact on young person would be discouraged. Staff will support young people to gain understanding what makes healthy relationships, and what relationships can be damaging and exploitative so they can develop skills to have positive relationships with others.
Staff will work with each individual young person to build positive, nurturing, warm and meaningful relationships with them. At Area Camden we believe that positive relationships with our young people is the foundation of promoting positive behaviours.
Child protection
One of our primary aims is to provide a safe and empowering place for all young people to live in. Child protection procedures are a key to keeping young people safe.
Area Camden will work in accordance with all guidelines set, to ensure that safeguarding issues are maintained as a top priority for the staff at the home. A Risk Assessment will be undertaken with each young person and this will be regularly reviewed and monitored as part of the placement planning process.
All young people within the home will be protected from discrimination and bullying by our anti-discrimination and anti bullying policies.
Staffing
No staff member will be permitted to commence working at Area Camden until a full-enhanced DBS check has been received and we follow government legislation in regards to this. Suitable references, written and telephone, will also have been received and approved.
Area Camden is committed to providing excellent standards of care for all the young people who live in our homes. To promote this level of excellence, it is the company policy that all staff members will be qualified to the required level relating to their roles.
Bullying
Bullying behaviour is not tolerated at Area Camden. Our staff teams will be constantly vigilant and aware that bullying can be present in residential care, and that it causes great misery for the victim.
As part of the initial assessment process, the issue of bullying will be discussed with each young person admitted to the home and it will be made clear that bullying behaviour, whether verbal or physical, will be challenged and if habitual, could lead to the cessation of the placement.
Complaints and representation
Area Camden supports the young person’s right to make complaints about any aspect of their treatment whilst living at the home. Young people will always be made aware of their right to complain should they feel they have been treated unfairly or disrespectfully.
Our policy is for any child or young person who makes a complaint to do so without fear of retaliation or reprisal.
About Us
Area Camden aims to provide a structured, stimulating, caring and safe environment that is free from any prejudices and which offers young people the opportunity to be listened to and express their wishes, needs and feelings.
Referrals
Area Camden offers short to long-term placements for young people. We aim to provide stability and we will work with the young person, their family, social worker and other professionals.
