Claybrooke Cottage is a three bedded home situated in the countryside, surrounded by open spaces. The environment provides a high level of observation and interaction for the young person.  The emphasis is on skills-based interventions, recreational activities and expressive therapies.  

The aim of the home is to move the young person from complex behaviour presentations to mature and adaptive ways of coping.  The home is highly structured for the very distressed young person. 

The young people may have been excluded from an educational setting and may have special educational needs.  These can be met through a place within our school which specialises in working with young people who display troubled and challenging behaviours.

From a psychodynamic perspective we promote appropriate personal relationships between the staff and young people and provide them with opportunities to talk to adults, both individually and in groups.  As trust develops, we will be able to help young people identify and understand what is happening, or has happened, to them, in relation to such issues as development, upbringing and relationships. We would anticipate supporting young people to share and explore the underlying nature of their troubles and by gaining insight begin to change some of their own attitudes, behaviours and expectations.     

From a learning theory perspective, we set and maintain clear behavioural expectations and boundaries, using appropriate sanctions, or consequences to enforce them. Negative consequences will be used to dissuade undesirable behaviours, with positive consequences, or ‘rewards,’ used to encourage desirable behaviours.  Reliable, mature, approachable and consistent adult role models are essential to the success of this learning process. 

The approach incorporates attachment ideology that understands the young people and their behaviours as reflecting a disorganised or reactive attachment pattern that resulted from previous trauma and abuse.  The approach recognises the value of stable and rewarding relationships as part of the treatment process. 

The home works in partnership with local authorities, families and other professionals to give the young people support and encouragement to fulfil their potential through the provision of a high standard of care at all times.