GROUP HOMES

DESCRIPTION

Children placed at our group homes are seen in the total "context" of their lives and not simply viewed in regard to their behaviors. We acknowledge that events and experiences from a child's past may shape their beliefs in the future. Behavior results from these core beliefs that they hold about themselves and those around them. These beliefs inform their behavior and in turn, their behavior reinforces their beliefs. These systems need to be looked at in order to effectively minimize personal suffering and modify destructive behavior. We work with youth to help them identify these systems and acknowledge the affect they have on their behavior. We work with the youth to develop healthier lifestyles and constructive behaviors.

Our treatment program encourages children to learn from their immediate experience with those in the residence as well as those in the community. This kind of information is useful in allowing residents to understand how they affect others and how others affect them. In this way, the residents are able to:

• take responsibility for their behaviour
• make realistic choices and engage in problem-solving behaviour
• make constructive changes in behaviors
• critique and change belief systems that previously encouraged destructive behaviour
• work collaboratively with others
• accept support and counseling for issues from their pasts that may be contributing to their current behaviour

STAFF

Staff, Staff Development & Financial Resources:

The staff of our group homes are graduates of the Child and Youth Worker program and/or have University Degrees in the Social Sciences field. All staff are trained in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention techniques. On-call supervision is available to staff with a clear line of authority specified. Back-up staff will be available to attend to emergencies as needed. The Director will be available 24 hours per day. The Consultants employed by our group homes may include a Social Worker, an Educational Consultant and an Addictions Counselor. These individuals comprise the Clinical Team, and are available to provide counseling for the youth and training and consultation for the staff.

The Administration of our group homes believe that working with children and youth requires ongoing training, growth and reflection both as an individual and as a team. Therefore, each staff person is required to participate in monthly staff development sessions (in-house) as well as outside seminars. Financial resources have been allocated to cover the costs as well as the costs for resource consultants. Some areas of staff training will include: Family systems theory, crisis management, suicide prevention, sexual abuse (identification and working with victims), understanding self-injury, behaviour management techniques, non-violent crisis intervention, restraint techniques, feminist theory and therapy, art therapy, issues specific to female adolescents, and policy and procedure guidelines. These areas of training are reinforced and enhanced in personal and group supervision.

ASSESSMENTS/REPORTS

In conjunction with the Plan of Care, we provide an assessment of the child in the context of their immediate environment: specifically, in their interactions and relationships with staff, peers, the community, and with themselves. The adolescent's view of `how' and `why' they are in this situation and what needs to happen to make changes is important. Also important, are their views and experience of the pushes and pulls of family and peers, their commitment to change or stay the same, and the personal meaning of their behaviour are included in the assessment. We employ various models of seeing the world, not one more important than the other, but hopefully providing a comprehensive view that is useful in advancing the health, safety and dreams of the adolescent coming to our program. We encourage staff to employ their individual styles and techniques within the program and during their interactions with the residents and feel that it is important in developing a culture within the home. Most importantly, we expect genuineness, caring and nurturing from all staff towards the residents, as well as a commitment to personal and professional reflection and growth. Management's commitment is to provide such opportunities for growth and the evolution of the program. Our assessment, therefore, includes a statement of how we as staff, impact on the resident. Bryce House will provide the placing agency with a monthly report of the youth's progress, behavior, goals etc. for the first six months of a youth's placement. Following the first six months, quarterly reports will be provided.

CLIENT PROFILE

The Program at our group homes are designed to accommodate eight adolescent females between the ages of 12 to 16 years of age, characterized by behavioral traits such as running, mild to moderate aggression, moderate personality disorders, problems with authority, depression, moderate suicidal tendencies seen in self-mutilating and self-defeating behaviors, or those with chronic and pervasive sadness and despair.

We accept females who are not actively engaged in school activities and require tutorial or other remedial assistance to maintain school placement or academic standing. We accept adolescents who have been victims of sexual, physical, emotional and/or institutional abuse.

We are able to accommodate those persons whose lives are further compromised by conditions which require close observation and medical interventions, such as bulimia and anorexia, asthma, HIV, pregnancy, epilepsy and substance abuse. We are within two minutes of the nearest emergency hospital facility and various other local health resources.

Exclusions:

Exclusions to our program are fire-setters,children with overt psychoses or severe personality disorders as well as highly suicidal adolescents.

Emergency Placements:

Depending upon the availability of a bed, our group homes will accept placements 24 hours per day. However, it is the expectation of the Director of the home that the necessary papers and consents will be signed immediately upon the youth's arrival and follow-up information will be provided as soon as reasonably possible thereafter.

Length of stay:

There is no fixed length of stay for a resident at our group homes. The length of any placement will be determined by the placing agency, the resident and the house jointly. However, we do feel that long-term change and development is often a slow and lengthy process.