AAbacus – Vision

AAbacus offers a variety of routes towards helping young people who have left care progress towards independent living. The project offers accommodation to those who are 16+; under the age of 18, although ‘looked after’ in terms of legal status, by their relevant local authority and hence not fully responsible as yet, in the eyes of the law. AAbacus also caters for unaccompanied asylum seekers and homeless young people between the ages of 16 and 25 as well as teenage mothers with young children. We also cater for young offenders aged 16.

AAbacus facilities are designed for those young persons whose local authorities feel that the individual is ready for a change from the children’s home setting, as a first or later step to living fully independently.

AAbacus facilities are not children’s homes, or registered residential care facilities for adults.

Occupants will have individual agreements recording their understanding of and co-operation with the house rules, in return for which they will be given as much personal freedom as would a person in independent living.

The services offered in addiction to accommodation are education and life skills training in accordance with the guideline set within The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000.

Additional services available at AAbacus

The following services are available on a number of different bases, according to individual arrangements made between AAbacus, the young person and the responsible local authority:

• Access to educational opportunities

• Skilled assistance to help find suitable employment, a work placement scheme or other means of obtaining work experience.

• Help to improve life-skills which including cooking, laundry, washing, budgeting and shopping skills

• 24 hour emergency ‘on call’ service via telephone.

• Individual support and supervision, counselling and monitoring.

• Peer mediation

• Assistance to formulate a pathway plan as outlined by The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000.
The Profile of life at an AAbacus house

This includes:

• Friendly professional staff on hand 24 hours a day to provide additional supervision or support services for those whom the local authority has contracted.

• A provision is made for the young people to allow them to have visits from friends and family. An arrangement will need to be made with the project manager for overnight stays by visitors on the understanding that the young people and their visitors respect the community aspects of the living standards especially in regards to the noise nuisance policy.

• Each young person is offered a private room. The rooms are comfortably furnished with beds, chairs, desks, wardrobes, and a shared kitchen area. Occupants are encouraged to bring their own possessions in order to personalise their rooms and make themselves feel more at home.

• The only restrictions that apply are to which the young persons are liable in accordance with the anti-social behaviour rules and regulations set within the homes. Termination of the individual’s license on the basis of nuisance or violence towards any other occupants of the premises will apply.

The Staff Group

The organisation has a pool of trained and skilled staff that assists in delivering individual support along with supervision, education, counselling and monitoring with the vision of helping young people to prepare for adulthood and leading independent lives.

The group consists of:

Project Manager
Assistant Project Manager
Personal Advisors
Qualified Social Workers.

The nature of the project requires that all members of staff are selected for their maturity, understanding and their ability to motivate young people.

PACKAGES OFFERED

Packages Offered Description

Basic Package

• Own bedroom in shared accommodation

• 1 hour per week personal advice

• Supervised of developments of pathway plan

• Monthly progress reports

• Allocated personal advisor

Standard Package

• Own bedroom in shared accommodation

• 1 hour per week personal advice

• Supervised of developments of pathway plan

• Monthly progress reports

• Any special needs the client would like us to undertake.

Special Negotiated Package

• These packages depend on the emotional and psychological needs of the young person.

• An initial assessment leads in conjunction with the social worker will determine the precise scale of fees and services require construction of a pathway plan.