A plainer version of what commissioners and inspectors read. Written for the people closest to the young person.
Moving into a new home is a lot, even when it has been planned for weeks. We keep the first few days quiet. A member of the team is alongside the young person whenever they want one, and stepping back when they don't. We take time over the ordinary things: the bedroom, meals, Wi-Fi, how the shower works, where their things go.
Contact with family, carers, friends, and professionals is a priority, and we work to the plan set out by the placing authority. Where contact is possible, we support it practically and with warmth. Where it is restricted, we are clear and consistent about why.
Education is one of the things that can suffer most through disruption, so we take it seriously. We work with schools, colleges, virtual school teams, and any alternative provision. If a young person is not currently in education, we help rebuild a routine.
We support registration with a local GP, dentist, and optician, and coordinate with any existing mental health, paediatric, or specialist services. We take sleep, food, exercise, and screen use seriously, as part of everyday conversations rather than special projects.
Every young person has the names and contact details of their social worker, IRO, independent advocate, and Ofsted. They can contact them privately at any time. We tell them this clearly, and we repeat it. Our complaints procedure is written for young people to read.
If you are a family member, social worker, or advocate with a question, large or small, please call or email us at info@decorumcarehomes.co.uk. We would rather hear it and resolve it than have it go unsaid.