• Programmes devised will be in conjunction with the Young Person and the Social Worker. Realistic goals shall be set to recognize each individual's abilities and aspirations.

• It will be the duty of each Young Person to accept responsibility of their actions. Staff will help Young People to confront behavior or attitudes, which are anti-social.

• Explore Independence upholds the ethos of The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000, and together with the Local Authority shall help to implement the agreed Pathway Plan.

Our Strategies

We conduct a comprehensive risk assessment both at the initial stages of every referral and intermittently. As part of our Occupational Health & Safety Policy which can be located on page 4 of our Explore Independence Semi-Independent Project Hand Book, assessing any inherent risk using our risk assessment form enables us to put in place adequate measures in order to specifically address them.

Our Service Users work closely with their Key Workers in planning their weekly spending. We are made aware of any outstanding issues. These are resolved professionally.

Risk Assessment

We have a standard checklist for Key Workers to use in assessing the levels of risk the Service Users are exposed to. These are submitted on a monthly basis. See Appendix 1 – Risk Assessment Checklist Form. Completed forms are available for review in each Service User file. This also covers risk to staff and community.

Advocacy and Communication

We recommend our Service Users to use the services of the Citizens Advice Bureau for their advocacy needs. We encourage open and transparent communication between Explore Independence staff and our Service Users.

Budgeting and Managing Finances

Hence, development training will include instruction by competent personnel to enable each individual to remain safe within each location.

Staff and Clients will be encouraged to be involved with this Occupational Health and Safety Policy and as such, all risks will be systematically assessed and ultimately control using appropriate measures.

The Company Director Malcolm Benson on a quarterly basis reviews this Policy and any changes made are fully communicated to all our Clients, Employees and Associates.

Claiming Welfare Benefits

For service users that are 16-17 years of age, we provide training on claiming Welfare Benefits. We assist those that are over 18 in completing relevant applications for welfare support.

Safety and Security in the Home

We provide training in home safety and first aid