Recently in our house in the month of May this year a young boy has joined as a day student. I will refer to him as Jake in this reflective account (this is not his real name and all relevant information/personal data regarding exact time of the movement has been changed in order to comply with the CSA Confidentiality Policy).

When Jake first came to the house he of course came as a trial period and he has been accompanied by two other care workers from his former placement/school who knew him very well. This was a transition for him and also for us. His placement with our house was a two day a week. These two days were spread apart into Mondays and Fridays.

In order to assess his needs I believe it is required intensive observation. The information provided from his previous school, parents and care workers/social worker it is very important but I believe that working hands on with him will allow a better understanding and I could make a proper evaluation of his needs according to the new environment and settings that he is currently surrounded by.

When a new student enters our house, everyone’s vigilance/attention and my own it is much higher in order to understand his needs, to assess him and fully understand him as an individual. I believe that everyone it is unique in their own way and to fully assess someone it takes a lot of care, understanding and information in order to take the right decisions for that person and provide the best care /therapeutic program so that they can grow and develop furthermore.

Jake is a very outspoken young man, knows what he wants and has grown a lot in the last months in independence and is more able to deal with changes than when he has first arrived to our house.

As an initial assessment it has been taking into consideration all the information gathered from his previous care plans, statements from care workers, discussion with his parents and most importantly by talking to Jake and finding out what he thinks and wants to do.

CSA uses a series of therapies and therapeutic activities and they are as follows: therapeutic art, music, speech, movement, riding, play, massage, foot bath and counselling. Every child and young adult that is attending school or it is part of a placement with CSA has the available support to benefit from all these activities. These therapeutic activities happen as a one to one situation unless stated otherwise in the child or young person’s care plan. CSA has also a range of workshops available to every student that is in the community. They are as follows: metal, pottery, candle, weaver, felting, green woodwork and garden workshop. These workshops help with the increase of creativity, independence and self esteem which gives the students an incredible sense of achieving once they hold their creations into their own hands and not only also during the creative process.