Situated within a town in North Ayrshire, Waterside has two living arrangements available consisting of five bedrooms in the main house and a single service on the premises for children and young people aged 8 to 18 years. The service has a range of communal areas and benefits from a large garden, with stables and a chicken coop.
Waterside continues the farm living approach that has been so successful in meeting the needs of the young people at our Woodend Farm children’s home, whilst also placing a particular emphasis on engaging with trauma of failed attachment.
Supporting the needs of the young people
At Waterside, we support children and young people with trauma and adverse childhood experiences, as well as additional support needs. This includes an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), pathological demand avoidance (PDA), social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs and child sexual exploitation (CSE).
Young people suffering from failed attachment will find sanctuary and healing within this warm and impressively furnished setting. The therapies available at Waterside also offer an engaging learning and living environment for children and young people. Individuals experiencing issues of anxiety and trauma, as well as resulting social and emotional behaviours, may benefit from the independent living setting available, which also allows for structured peer engagement on the grounds.
The family environment, routines and strategies are in line with what works best for individual young people. The staff ratios also reflect the needs of the young people, offering 1:1 and 2:1 support, and a 24-hour waking service.
Providing best practice
Our team at Waterside place a strong emphasis on engaging with children and young people, and having them identify their living situation as no ordinary care setting. What sets our practice at the farm apart is the focus on possibilities rather than limitations, in order to foster empowerment.
A core practice at Waterside is role modelling, to encourage positive interactions in tackling issues, resilience and social engagement. Our team are skilled and experienced in providing positive transitions for young people from previous placements, through careful and inclusive planning.