Our Therapeutic Model
Here at Budwood, we take a therapeutic approach to everything we do. Therapeutic practice forms the foundation of the care we offer and helps us to support the children in our care to heal from any adverse experiences they may have encountered during their lives while giving them the tools they need to thrive in the future.
Here are just some of the ways in which we incorporate therapeutic practice into daily life at Budwood:
- All of our homes have an attached clinical psychologist who works with the team providing monthly reflective practice sessions and clinical supervision to our managers.
- We empower children to access 1-to-1 support with a therapist, who can provide them with trauma informed therapies, such as therapeutic parenting (PACE).
- We have developed our own therapeutic toolkit, the C.A.T.C.H ® Model, to help support our young people in all aspects of their lives.
What is the C.A.T.C.H ® Model?
The C.A.T.C.H ® Model combines the principles of widely recognised developmental trauma strategies, including the PACE Model and Empathic Commentary, to identify five key ways in which we can support young people’s development. C.A.T.C.H ® was developed here at Budwood.
How do we use the C.A.T.C.H ® Model at Budwood?
We aim to implement the five C.A.T.C.H ® principles in daily life at Budwood, as well as involving each child in our care in the creation of a personalised C.A.T.C.H ® assessment plan which will help to support their development. Each child’s unique C.A.T.C.H ® plan will be designed alongside a qualified therapist.
“I feel [the C.A.T.C.H Model] is very unique to Budwood. It’s all about connecting with our young people. They’re coming from all kinds of backgrounds and we really use our C.A.T.C.H Model to best support them.”
– Residential Support Worker
What are the five principles of the C.A.T.C.H ® Model?
Connect
Always aim to understand, accept & empathise with our young people, avoiding shame.
Active
Keeping physically healthy and fulfilled through activities such as running, dancing, and singing.
Together
Co-regulate & respond to attachment seeking behaviours.
Co-construct
Be curious & help our young people to understand their experiences.
Happy
To make our young people’s experiences rewarding, laugh with them & have fun together.
How we’re achieving positive outcomes for our young people
- Our warm and welcoming homes provide a friendly family environment where children can really be themselves, with plenty of opportunities to grow, learn and develop. The care we offer is tailored to each young person, and every child receives the additional support of a specialised key worker.
- Our highly skilled staff team are dedicated to improving the lives of young people, and receive excellent support through training, reflective practice sessions and encouragement to advance in their careers by completing NVQ qualifications.
- We maintain strong working relationships with everyone involved in each child’s care to ensure all of their needs are being met, including therapists, social workers, other professionals and their local authority.
Achieving Together
We regularly review the progress of our young people to celebrate their success and evaluate how we can further help them to grow and achieve. Our regular assessments include:
- Key worker sessions where our young people have an opportunity to share how they’re feeling on a 1-1 basis, evaluate their progress and communicate any needs or requests
- We monitor young people’s academic achievements through ASDAN and regularly review their engagement with their studies to ensure we’re helping them to achieve and progress towards their goals.
- We conduct an ‘Independent Skill Builder’ assessment to help older children develop the key skills they’ll need to become a thriving adult, with skills taught including household management, healthy eating and managing finances.
- A monthly ‘Adolescent Wellbeing’ checklist and ‘Moods and Feelings’ questionnaire to help our young people better understand their emotions and identify areas where they might benefit from more support.
By implementing these principles, we create a fun, friendly and relaxing atmosphere where our young people are valued, respected and listened to. Learn more about how we listen to and implement the views of our young people.
Accommodation
"Explore our welcoming homes, providing a secure and caring environment tailored to each child’s needs."
Choice, Equality & Independence
Learn how we promote independence, equality, and informed choices to empower the children in our care.
Education & Employment
Uncover the educational and employment pathways we offer to help children reach their full potential.
Health & Leisure
Learn how we support children’s physical and mental well-being through a balance of health-focused care and leisure activities.
Our Staff Team
Learn about the qualifications, comprehensive training, and ongoing development our staff undergo to ensure high-quality care for children in our homes.
Relationships, Behaviour & Risk Management
Discover our trauma-informed approach to building positive relationships, managing challenging behaviour, and ensuring safety.