Services
Paving Paths is a provider of semi-independent accommodation and support for young people between the ages of 16-25. We offer stand alone and staffed shared semi-independent accommodation. Levels of support can vary from floating support, 1:1 support to minimal support, this is dependent on individual needs and goals.
We aim to support young people in their transition to adulthood, the young people we support may be care leavers, come from the homeless community or unaccompanied Asylum-seeking young people. Some may experience complex care needs such as a mental health diagnosis, risk of self-harm, autism, learning disabilities and emotional behavioral difficulties (EBD).
We specialize in supporting young people leaving secure or residential settings, transitional services and those who require emergency placements.
A study carried out by Ofsted in 2022 about the views of care leavers preparing to leave care highlighted more than a third of care leavers were not prepared to leave care and the process often happened abruptly with little or no awareness of essential life skills. Further findings reflected that many care leavers felt isolated and lonely which resulted from the absence of effective planning to support their mental and emotional wellbeing when they left care. Care leavers expressed little trust and faith in professionals; expressed they had no choice or control over where they lived when they left care; were not listened to and were not involved in the planning process; some advised they were not aware of their rights and the support available to them which often resulted in debt and homelessness.
We strive to support our users on their journey towards independence, by providing a safe and nurturing environment allowing them to develop, grow and build resilience for the next steps in life. All support will be tailored to the individuals needs through well-defined care and support plans, utilizing evidence-based models to encourage personal development and growth.
Numerous studies highlight that positive role models can contribute towards reducing a young person’s potential for risky behaviors such as drugs and alcohol abuse, violence and aggression and increase the chances of success in education, employment and social engagement. We recognise this can be a challenge for care leavers as they often do not have a consistent adult in their life such as a parent, a sibling or grandparents. We strive to foster meaningful relationships with our users to unlock their potential and enhance the skills they already possess. Our support staff are cherry picked, highly trained and committed to delivering positive outcomes to the young people we support.
We consider the young person’s mental, physical, emotional, psychological health and social circumstances key contributors towards our approach of providing thorough risk management and holistically designed support packages. Support packages will be designed to empower young people towards recognising individual strengths, enabling confidence to access training, education, work and develop life skills ultimately enabling independence, success and personal fulfilment.
A holistic support model will be offered from the very beginning which places empathy and compassion at the forefront, staff will be specifically trained to listen, care and support users to work at a pace that suits their needs, promotes autonomy and enables independence.
Ongoing assessments, support planning and regular reviews will take place with the young person to ensure consistency, commitment and progress. Using evidence-based programs and learning from research and the voice of young people and their families is the core of our continuing development.
What we offer
- Individual tenancy agreements
- Bespoke, eco and smart accommodation
- A safe, welcoming, nurturing home
- Allocated keyworker
- 1:1 support and mentoring
- Dedicated and highly trained staff
- Advocacy support
- Building positive support networks
- Support in accessing education and employment
- Life skills Workshops
- Skills building activities
- Social skills development
- Team building opportunities
- Budgeting skills
- Specialised behaviour support plans
- Person centered care plans
- Comprehensive risk assessments
- User forums and meetings
- Monthly newsletters