Godfrey Care’s  Ash Tree House service in Burton-on-Trent facilitated a journey of discovery for two of our residents, supporting them on their first-ever train trip!

The service team spoke to JB and LC to discuss any new experiences that they would like to explore, using pictures to communicate ideas and potential choices. The pair decided on a rail excursion, boarding the train at Burton-on-Trent and travelling to Derby for a session at Oxygen Trampoline Park followed by lunch at Subway. They had a wonderful time and embraced every aspect of the day.

The success of the outing demonstrated the value of positive risk-taking, a key part of the specialist care and support that Godfrey Care provide. It’s a process that weighs up potential risks and benefits to make a balanced, informed decision and plan the necessary support with a view to achieving a positive outcome. Positive risk-taking often results in important breakthroughs in personal development for the people we support.

JB and LC’s day out also illustrated the positive impact of co-production, another core element of Godfrey Care’s care model. Co-production is a way of working that empowers the people who use our services, encouraging their active involvement in a partnership to evaluate and develop the support we provide. It’s based on the idea that people who use services can provide vital input and advice on what support and services will help them.

Heather Wilkinson, Registered Manager at Ash Tree House, said:

“It was wonderful to see JB and LC sharing a new experience and having so much fun. The day had a lasting positive impact in so many ways. It helped to build friendships, support the development of social skills and increase confidence. The support team were fantastic in helping to make this happen, collaborating with JB and LC to plan every step and make it a very memorable day.”

We’re delighted to see JB and LC thriving and arriving at a new stage in their personal growth – well done to the support team for making it a smooth journey!

Godfrey Care are delighted to announce the launch of our latest service with the opening of Pottery House in Stoke-on-Trent.

The CQC-registered service is designed for individuals who require highly complex care, supporting profound and severe needs in relation to challenging behaviours. Pottery House is a purpose-built development comprising six large individual self-contained living spaces with their own kitchen/kitchenette, living room and bedroom with full en-suite wet room, as well as private or shared gardens. These homely, low-stimulus environments are designed to keep the individual and service team safe.

Shared communal kitchen and lounge areas provide spaces for social interaction and inclusion. The service will benefit from 24/7 support from our skilled service team, specifically trained in the specialist areas of Autism, Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), Active Support and Mental Health. A dedicated PBS team will provide ongoing input and support for the service team.

Godfrey Care Director, Andy Barnes, said:

“Pottery House is the latest stage in our ongoing expansion. We are very excited to be opening this specialist provision which follows our unique model of care and support for complex needs, recognised and valued by care professionals and care commissioners throughout the region. Our Registered Manager will work closely with the service team and PBS team in delivering the highest levels of person-centred care based on the identified needs of each person.”

To find our more about Pottery House, please contact our referrals team:

Tel 01283 353323

Email referrals@godfreycare.co.uk

The physical and mental benefits of an active lifestyle are well-known, and they are certainly helping a resident at our Ash Tree House service in Burton-on-Trent.

Previously reluctant to venture outside Ash Tree House, LC took the decision to explore the local area with support from the service team. A recent day out in the town proved to be a turning point which has done wonders for her confidence.

Mindful that LC is celiac, the Ash Tree House team found a restaurant that caters for her diet while still offering lots of choice. After a very enjoyable lunch, LC went clothes shopping. She chose all her own clothes and was supported to pay for the items herself. LC is now enthusiastic about activities in the community and enjoys regular outings.

Registered Manager, Heather Wilkinson, said:

“The team has built such strong relationships with LC. When she first moved into Ash Tree House, LC was a little unsettled and wasn’t ready to access the community. She is now an active part of her community and goes out every day. An evening sunset stroll is now part of LC’s daily routine. It has aided her sleep and she has become much more settled with sleep hygiene as a key part of her person-centred care plan.”

At Godfrey Care, we understand the value of supporting the professional development of our colleagues – not only in teaching core skills and qualifications, but also broader training in other disciplines that enhance the delivery of complex care and help to achieve consistently positive outcomes.

We recently saw an excellent example of this approach at our Ash Tree House service in Burton-on-Trent. The support team received training in sensory yoga, a practice which provides a wide range of benefits for both mind and body, including self-regulation, sensory integration, improved motor skills, and improved communication. Sensory yoga can also reduce anxiety while increasing awareness of the body and emotional state to develop self-compassion and a healthy self-image.

Those benefits are invaluable to the people we support. With that in mind, Godfrey Care’s Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) team led a training session for the Ash Tree House team, giving them the knowledge and understanding to run sensory yoga activities in the service.

Our Ash Tree House colleagues already put their training to good use with some very successful yoga sessions, receiving an enthusiastic response from the residents. Sensory yoga is set to become a regular fixture at Ash Tree House and the SALT team will be supporting other Godfrey Care services with similar training.

Well done to our colleagues at Ash Tree House and thank you to the SALT team for supporting their success!

A resident at Godfrey Care’s Field House service in Burton-on-Trent had a lorryload of fun when the support team arranged a visit to a truck repair shop.

Nick is well-known for his love for all kinds of vehicles and his particular interest in the larger variety. The Field House team came up with an idea to indulge Nick’s passion when they contacted Hartshorne Motor Services, a local company which specialise in the maintenance of Volvo trucks and buses. They requested a tour of the premises, currently home to a range of HGVs, and were delighted when the kind people at Hartshorne Motor Services obliged with an offer to facilitate a visit that same day!

Nick was in his element throughout the trip. He had a good look at all the trucks and even got to sit in one of the cockpits!

Aaran Fryer, Registered Manager at Field House, said:

“We’re very grateful to Hartshorne Motor Services for accommodating Nick’s visit. They were very friendly, welcoming and generous with their time. Nick made friends with the manager of the site and had an incredibly enjoyable time. He has been talking about the trip every day since!”

The outing demonstrated the value of creative thinking and a proactive approach in facilitating life experiences for the people we support. Well done to the Field House team and Hartshorne Motor Services for delivering the goods!