Exceptional Care have three barges to date, Shrewsbury is located on the Lancaster canal network, whilst Jubilee and Barley can be found on the Leeds, Liverpool canal system. All are within easy access to variety of amenities and sports facilities and within good transport links to the motorway networks.
The rural tranquil settings where the barges are moored enables the young people to enjoy a diverse and quality time with the staff team.
By removing the constraints of every day living and life, the barges provide the young people with an opportunity for reflection and stability, in a high warmth, highly controlled environment where good family values lead our practice, provided by a highly skilled and qualified staff team, who encourage the young people to participate in the day to dat running of the barge and take ownership of their surroundings, whilst feeling part of the team and offering a bespoke individualised service.
The time spent on the barge is an opportunity for the young people to relax, feel listened to and talk to staff, providing a forum where the young people can re-engage with estranged family members, friends and professionals in an informal setting.
many of the young people who have been placed on our barges have been assessed high risk of Missing from Care, Child Sexual Exploitations, County Lines, Criminal Exploitation and presenting with a variety of challenging behaviours. Our barge services provide the young people with the opportunity to break cycles of risk-taking behaviour by providing them with a different environment and new exciting experiences and the opportunity to be free of peer pressure.
The barge focus on reducing behaviour’s and reward system are in place to assist this working alongside the young people in consultation with Social Workers and other relevant external agencies which are encouraged to visit the barges and contribute to any goal setting on the barges for the young person, staff utilise positive reinforcement and encourage the young people to make differing and appropriate choices.
Our aim is to empower our young people to be heard and make decisions regarding their future and plans for transition, which are discussed throughout the placement to prepare the young people for the changes ahead, so any further moves can be smooth, stress free and a positive experience which often can be the cause of great distress for young people who are in transition.
The staff team will always transfer and provide transport where appropriate for the young person to move to a new placement. The barge Manager, as well as providing a weekly summary, will forward a detailed, clear and concise overview of the placement to assist in the sourcing of a new placement to enable the Placing Authority to have the greatest chance of finding an appropriate and suitable match for their young person.
Each barge has a car provided for the service to enable contact visits, transitions and actives away from the barge and any appointments.
Each young person will be encouraged to complete a memory book to capture the fun times and experiences on the barge, to take with them as positive memory to look back on.
As with the other services under Exceptional Care we follow the company ethos and values:
PRIDE
We ensure we operate in the same way out regulatory service Children’s Homes and are Inspected once a month by an independent Reg 44 visitor.
I never thought I’d take to barge life, I was involved in County Lines stuff, but the barge has helped me to chill out cos it’s so peaceful, everyone around you is so nice, they always say hello to me and smile. I’ve never had that before
I felt at home from day one, within an hour of arriving I was captain of the barge, driving down the canal. It was nothing like I’ve ever done before, so quiet. I want to come back.
