Identifying needs
Supporting progress
Improving outcomes
"Why would I want to change anything, it’s great here" – young person
SW Education & Care
SW Education & Care believe all children and young people should be provided with opportunities to achieve socially, emotionally and academically whatever their individual barriers to success.
By providing personalised support to meet the needs of each individual, we enable them to develop trusting relationships and build key skills, strength and resilience, promoting personal wellbeing and a secure future.
We are able to provide a variety of services from respite to long-term children’s homes.
"It would not be over dramatic to describe the young person fortunate enough to be living, supported and cared for by staff and leadership in this organisation as having been rescued from a future of mental health trauma and instability" – Headteacher, Virtual School
“South West Education and Care are in my opinion an outstanding residential placement who are skilled in supporting Tier 4 step down provision. The change I have seen in the young person I have placed with SWEC is astronomical.” – Social Worker
Our promise to the children & young people we support is, we will:
✓ Listen to you and keep you safe
✓ Support you to attend and achieve within education
✓ Ensure you have access to services and support
✓ Support you emotionally, socially and academically
✓ Challenge you to reach your potential
✓ Advocate for you
✓ Provide extra support and therapeutic input to support you and aid your progress
✓ Draw up care plans with you and your social work team and ensure these are monitored and evaluated
"In my experience so far, the home has been outstanding in its approach to the young person, the focus on his needs, the strategies that they are trialling with him, and their communication and relationship with him and myself. I am beyond satisfied with the care and support they are offering!"- Social Worker
“I have never worked with a home which has such positive relationships with the young people there. It seems to be totally child-centered and the young person I work with tells me it is the best home he has ever lived in.” – Tutor
SW Education & Care
About Us
SW Education & Care is a new care and education provider based in the South West. We believe our smaller scale means we can ensure high quality, individualised care and education which meets the needs of children and young people who have suffered childhood trauma.
As a company with decades of specialist knowledge and experience, SW Education & Care aim to grow organically ensuring we offer nurturing well-appointed homes, with highly trained staff and appropriate interventions. We are able to provide a variety of services including respite and long-term children’s homes.
Throughout all of our services we are able to offer education from qualified teachers, counselling, CBT and psychological assessment.
Our homes can support a variety of needs. All children and young people are supported according to their needs with 1:1 being our minimum support level. All homes are small, ranging from single occupancy to no more than three young people. We believe this promotes a greater sense of belonging and individual ownership. Every child chooses how to furnish their own private bedroom and has significant input into home decorations.
When children demonstrate challenging behaviours due to childhood trauma and environmental impacts, there is a need to see the child behind the manifested behaviours and support them to identify the causes. In providing a nurturing and boundaried environment with highly trained and experienced staff, we ensure each child’s emotional wellbeing and their development of self-regulation are key throughout our services. Through a non-sanctioned based ethos where adults are attuned to individual needs, we provide opportunities for increasing self-esteem and adaption of coping strategies, thus improving self-regulation. Our services page provides greater information regarding provisions and support available.
"I have found SWEC an outstanding provision from start to finish. They have provided an incredible Tier 4 step down provision for a young person on my case load with incredibly complex needs. Starting with an enhanced transition, SWEC have individualised the care for this young person to the greatest degree. Their relationship with the young person has been reparative and has enabled him to develop trust in safe adults and believe that his wishes and feelings are listened to. All of his needs are considered including health, education, identity, contact, emotional wellbeing needs and reflected in his care plan. Communication with professional group and family members has been fantastic." – Social Worker
Andy Simms – CEO
Andy has over 25 year’s experience of leading organisations in the private, public and charitable sector, ensuring outstanding organisational performance.Andy is passionate about providing stability and opportunities for children in care.
Kiks Sheppard
Operations Director
Kiks has extensive experience in the specialist care and education sector. A former Head Teacher (SEMHD) and Senior DSL for Children’s Services, she assures quality of provision. Kiks is passionate about improving outcomes for children in care and as such ensuring they are at the centre of SW Education & Care practice.
Managers and Teams
SW Education & Care managers are qualified and experienced. All staff must demonstrate the ability to be supportive and caring, whilst providing appropriate boundaries to meet individual needs. Staff receive extensive training and ongoing support. We ensure staff meet our stringent vetting processes.
SW Education & Care
Services
Children’s Homes
SW Education & Care believe that the care
and environment we provide should be as
we would expect for our own children.
Our homes provide for small numbers of
children and young people (from 1-3) to
provide a greater sense of ownership and
belonging.
Our aim is to provide a sense of permanency for children and young people, as such personalisation of their rooms and significant input to home decoration and outdoor space design is encouraged
Support can be provided on a 1-1 or 2-1 basis dependent on individual need.
As with our crisis home, children and young
people have access to a variety of
interventions including psychological
assessment.
Education
From home education to specialist or AP’s
to colleges and mainstream schools we
believe that all children and young people
have a right to education which meets their
individual needs and abilities.
As experienced educationalists SW Education & Care seek to promote both formal and informal education opportunities throughout our services.
We work with young people and placing
authorities to ensure access to suitable
education. We can provide bespoke
education packages both academic and
outdoor based.
SW Education & Care have relationships
with a variety of provides We encourage all
children and young people to access a broad curriculum including, academic, social and emotional education and promote outdoor activity through all of our homes.
SW Education & Care
Children's Homes
Our provisions are small long-term placement homes which meet the needs of children and young people with SEMH difficulties; where children and young people feel a sense of belonging and permanence and are able to flourish.
A sense of belonging is key to stabilisation, as such we ensure the induvial needs of each young person can be met and matching within our homes is intrinsic to this. We work closely with all parties to provide a smooth transition to the home and time to personalisation of their rooms as this helps support self-worth and acceptance. All young people have significant input to home decoration and outdoor space design is encouraged, not only does this support belonging, but also develops understand of the views of others and supports negotiation skills and coherence.
We provide, well-appointed and equipped homes, where children and young people can be nurtured and supported to build trusting relations and be given opportunities to reach their individual potential.
As with our crisis homes, all staff are well trained and experienced, they put children and young people in their care at the centre of all they do.
We work with local education providers and local authorities to ensure attendance at school or college and where necessary provide tuition with qualified teachers for those not accessing education until a suitable placement can be found.
The statement of purpose for each home and referral documentation can be found below.
“They know and care for the young person very deeply and advocate as part of the ‘corporate parent’ they are solutions focused which enables professionals to work closely with them to best support the young person in their care…They have been an absolute pleasure to work with and it has been brilliant to see the amazing progress that our child has made whilst in their care.” – Virtual School
The home Statements of Purpose and policy documents are password protected.
If you would like to apply for a password please click the orange button below.
SW Education & Care
Education
We believe that education provides choices and that each child and young person should be provided with education which meets their individual needs. This should be provided in an inclusive manner where diversity is championed, and achievement is measured against baseline assessment.
Many children in residential and crisis care have missed large amounts of education due to chaotic homelives or illness, we aim to bridge the gaps in learning though informal and formal education.
Many children in this position have low self-esteem which has been further eroded due to poor attendance, through identification of need and bespoke provision we provide opportunities for achievement and progress not only academically but also socially and emotionally.
Each home provides informal education regarding emotional intelligence, relationships, risk taking including E-safety, Gangs, substance misuse and CSE, together with core subject intervention where appropriate.
Both the CEO and Head of Operations are experienced educationalists with specific knowledge in relation to disaffected students, SEMHD, SEND and children in care. Where needed schemes of work and personalised learning will be provided to meet the needs of children and young people in our care.
All young people will have access to 60 preventative online courses for young people on a variety of subjects, including: gangs, knife crime, self-harm, and life skills.
We will work with the placing authority’s Virtual Head and local provisions to ensure education is provided which is suitable and monitoring and evaluation of progress is robust.
Education takes many forms and the package may include: 1-1 home tuition, AP, special schools, mainstream colleges and schools or a combination of these.
Careers
If you believe that every child has the right to reach their individual potential, together with experience in the care and/or education sector and a compassionate caring disposition we would like to hear from you.
As a small organisation we believe that our staff are our business. We offer very competitive salaries, will provide excellent induction and ongoing training, individualised development plans and a supportive working environment where you can make a significant difference to the lives of children and young people in our care.
Employee testimonials:
"Since working for SWED and Care I feel like I have had my eyes opened to how care can really REALLY, change the lives of troubled young people for the better. The team is carefully chosen and well trained. The management team are outstanding in knowledge and support, but also fun and approachable. I have been made to feel valued and supported to learn and progress In both my job role and salary. Care work can have challenging times, but the progress in the children, I have seen here at SWED and Care has impressed me no end."
"I have worked in residential childcare for over ten years but each time I met with director and head of operations of SW Education & Care I saw passion to care, understanding of my personal life, desire to do the best for the young people and two high up individuals who wanted more then anything for the team members to feel appreciated for the difficult career they do."
"Residential child support and outdoor activities for some of the most vulnerable young people. A fantastic group of easy to work with, committed colleagues! "
All applicants will be fully vetted in line with safer recruitment practice and all roles require an enhanced DBS check.
All roles within our organisation are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
To find out more about any of the above, email us at info@swedandcare.org or call 01823 765078.
SW Education & Care
SW Education & Care
Contact Us
Contact Numbers:
Main number: 01823 765078
Email: info@swedandcare.org
Referrals: 01823 765079
Email: referrals@swedandcare.org
Information:
CEO/Data Protection Officer: Andy Simms
Email: andy@swedandcare.org
Managing Director/Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead: Kiks Sheppard
Email: kiks@swedandcare.org
Responsible Individual/Head of Quality: Tina Taylor
Email: tina@swedandcare.org
Careers or HR queries
Telephone: 07946 173463
Email: HR@swedandcare.org
SW Education & Care; Registered in England & Wales, Company number 11991085
