Environments & staff

At Hesley Group, we pride ourselves on our unique provision
of non-traditional residential support. We consider that positive
physical environments demonstrate our commitment to those who live in or
otherwise access our services. What is more, we see that such
environments have a strongly positive influence in creating the best
therapeutic milieu for the people who live within them and for the staff
to work in.
Single person and small group occupancy of high-quality accommodation is
the model of living arrangements throughout all Hesley Group provision,
in both young people's and adult services.
Sufficient space within, as well as around, the schools, colleges and
homes of those we support is a key environmental consideration, as is
the opportunity to individualise one’s own living areas or room.
For some, the more rural locations of the
Hesley Village,
Low Laithes or
Wilsic Hall, for example, may be ideal. For others, the more urban settings and more immediate community access of
Fullerton House,
King Street, or
Copperclay Mews may best match their needs and wishes.
While it is important to get the location of schools, colleges and homes
right, it is also vital to provide within them calm areas, appropriate
high-quality decor and furnishings and suitable levels of
stimulation that cover all sensory modalities. Full consideration of all
these important factors, among others, help us provide the best
possible therapeutic environments for all those living in and using
Hesley Group's services.
Staff commitment & training
We believe that Hesley Group staff provide a unique resource
of people, who frequently go the extra mile to do their very best for
the people they support. This is evidenced by, for example, not only the
range of activities undertaken but also the enthusiasm with which this
is done. From supporting people living in services to really enjoy
seasonal activities, to making sure that activities genuinely reflect
people’s choices, we are proud of how staff strive to bring happiness
and fulfilment to the lives of those they support - and how they seek to
maintain and build on this in thoughtful and creative ways.
Staff continue to achieve 10- and 20-year-long service
awards as one sign of staff commitment. Positive comments via
CQC, Ofsted and Investors in People have also identified this
longstanding commitment from staff.
Hesley Group is dedicated to improving the performance and
self-esteem of its staff in a way that directly improves the quality of
life of the people we support. To this end our workforce development
department (Hesley People) provides and commissions an extensive
programme of workforce development activities. This combination of
learning opportunities range from e-learning, individual coaching and
mentoring, apprenticeships, learning events and updates, open learning
and attendance at accredited courses.
Our work-based
awarding centre is registered to provide a range of City & Guilds
qualifications and provides assessment and certification for all care
staff who require a health and social care qualification to meet
statutory and corporate targets. We're proud of the achievements of our
staff in all relevant qualification sectors and we know that their pride
in their achievements is reflected in the quality of our service.
All new staff are required to attend and complete a relevant
corporate and service-specific induction programme which meets Care
Certificate and Level 3 Diploma in Children's Residential Services'
requirements. From there they move into personal development
programmes that further develop their knowledge skills and motivation to
achieve a high quality of service for the people we support.
All staff are trained in HELP (Hesley Enhancing Lives
Programme), a behaviour support approach based on Therapeutic Crisis
Intervention (TCI), which is accredited by the British Institute of
Learning Disabilities (BILD). TCI is an internationally recognised
positive behaviour support and crisis prevention programme that reduces
reliance on high-risk interventions. TCI recognises that it is the
actions and reactions of those around young people that strongly shape
and influence their behaviour, as well as their social and emotional
development. Its emphasis is on empathy and proactive support, while
physical interventions are very much considered a last resort.