Woodlands offers a highly individualised and specialised therapeutic environment for the care, supervision, education and treatment of young people who have experienced complex trauma and victimisation. The young people also often present with complex needs including emotional, cognitive, psychological and social difficulties.

Young people living at Woodlands may have single or multiple diagnosed neurodevelopmental conditions including an Autistic Spectrum Condition and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. As a result of this Woodlands has developed specialist skills for supporting young people with such conditions and is accredited with the National Autistic Society.

Qualitative Care is the cornerstone of the service we offer at Woodlands. The young people who live with us need to know and feel that the people who look after them really do care and want them to have the best possible time whilst with us. Many of them will have experienced multiple rejections by adults and organisations prior to coming to Woodlands so creating a nurturing environment is vital to our ethos.  Young people need time and understanding to trust our care staff.

There will be challenges along the way and the demands on our care staff will, at times, be many and challenging. However, the rewards for helping people’s lives are great.

“The staff are very professional and knowledgeable and are willing “to go the extra mile” with all the young people in their care. The therapeutic input is excellent and it has a positive effect upon the young people in their care. In all my visits I have found the house to be welcoming to visitors and it is apparent that the staff have a great working relationship with the young people."

Social Worker, 2021
 

There is no atypical type of Woodlands worker but the one trait that they all have in common is a sense of moral purpose that they hold and value – one that communicates that all young people can achieve and thrive in the right environment.

Our staff vary greatly in their educational achievements from graduates, to those without many formal qualifications, but they all hold a desire to develop further their emotional intelligence.   If someone is also flexible with a great work ethic and a positive personality then we would welcome them to our team. Such people will thrive when experiencing our fantastic in-house training programme including support to complete the Diploma in Children and Young People.

 

Our care staff also get involved in the in-house therapy programmes. Staff are trained and overseen by one of our team of therapists. Staff will get to undertake and experience highly specialised work including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. The training is very rewarding work and leads to great job satisfaction.

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Our care staff will be working for a small privately owned organisation led by a former social worker. Woodlands is not part of a large parent company or similar. Lines of communication are short and clear. People are important and every child really does matter.