Adolescent inpatient facilities
for St Andrew’s, Claire Smith, says the use of bespoke sensory and music sessions plays a vital role in combatting these challenges, helping young people to build emotional resilience, insight, and self-awareness. A 17-year-old girl spoke about her experiences with the therapy: “I both enjoy and find sensory sessions beneficial, as they give you time to focus on different sensations instead of thoughts. I particularly enjoy touch, sound, and visual exercises, especially hand massages, because they’re relaxing. Sensory sessions allow me to step into a state of mindfulness and explore feelings other than my emotions.” FitzRoy House will feature the latest sensory equipment, such as atmospheric lighting, interactive games, a bolster swing, and balance board.
AN ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING A feature unique to supporting adolescents in their recovery is the need to ensure that, where possible, patients continue their education. St Andrew’s College exists solely for the charity’s adolescent patients, and is rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. The College will now, for the first time, have a purpose-built home within FitzRoy House. The move will represent a new era for the college, as it brings together teaching teams for adolescent mental health, learning disability, and autism. Head teacher, Richard Walker, said that while the specialist college was already providing a full curriculum – alongside optional classes and qualifications – the new facilities would provide the optimal learning environment: “College plays a core role in the mental health recovery of our young people, who benefit greatly from being able to continue their studies while being treated for complex illnesses. As well as bringing an element of structure and self-driven change, our curriculum gives young people the option to leave St Andrew’s with the skills they want and need to enter further education or the workforce.
FULLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS “All our teachers are fully qualified specialists in their subject, which allows us to offer core curriculum and additional subjects, as well as a range of nationally recognised examinations. These include GCSEs, A-levels, Functional Skills, Entry Level, Duke of Edinburgh, and vocational certificates. We firmly follow the belief that every young person deserves the same access to education, and we make sure that’s in place here at St Andrew’s.” Richard Walker says FitzRoy House will allow students to complete their learning in an environment that is not only tailored to their needs, but was also designed based on their feedback and ideas. He said: “We were keenly aware that young people often measure their own self-worth based on what is invested in them, so it was important to us to allow them to take a leading role in the design process of this new facility. The ‘earth and sky’ theme will be prevalent in our interior décor, as well as the style and size of the rooms, which will be spacious and modern. In the classroom, facilities will include interactive whiteboards, accessible outdoor learning areas, and multiple sports and recreational spaces.”
18 THE NETWORK OCTOBER 2016
The historic main building at St Andrew’s Healthcare, Northampton. SCIENCE LABORATORIES
In addition to traditional teaching spaces, the 1,170 m2 college includes an art studio, ICT suite, therapy areas, a kitchen, and a light workshop, while a unique feature is the college’s science labs. Because it is not safe for patients to have access to strong chemicals or naked flames, the FitzRoy design team created a set-up that enables teachers to carry out practical experiments on students’ behalf. Two science rooms are built around a central, glass panelled laboratory with voice links. Students instruct teachers to carry out tasks in the ‘lab’. The approach has been approved by examination bodies as a valid way for them to achieve practical elements in GCSE courses. Students can therefore achieve better grades than was previously possible.
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT FOR AUTISM AND LEARNING DISABILITY Extending educational opportunities out to those with learning and autistic spectrum disorders requires a specialist approach. Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) is a well-known service to support autistic students in achieving their full potential. Cheryl Smith, who delivers TEACCH at St Andrew’s, said the new learning space within FitzRoy House was designed with globally acclaimed TEACCH principles in mind. The concept promotes structured learning for people who have difficulties engaging in a
About the author
David Rodgers is a project manager for the operational opening of FitzRoy House at St Andrew’s Healthcare. He is the conduit between design and construction and the clinical teams at the charity. His background
in mental health nursing for the charity’s adolescent pathway has delivered key insights, ‘helping the new facility to set a new quality benchmark for both patients and staff’.
typical mainstream setting. She explained: “Young people with autism often face quite unique challenges when it comes to navigating their education and the complex social world that accompanies it. This can be exacerbated by previous negative experiences in the education system. “TEACCH provides a highly structured
approach to learning, in addition to providing opportunities for social and communication development. It increases independence and confidence within a calm and predictable learning environment. The new classroom will be divided into three colour-coded zones – blue for completing independent education work, orange for group work, and green for social and discussion based activities.”
INDIVIDUAL LEARNING RESOURCES The space will be kitted out with a range of technological equipment, including an interactive whiteboard, student laptops, and individual learning resources. It will open onto its own courtyard, which will provide extra opportunities for learning outside of the classroom. St Andrew’s aim at the beginning of the design process was to create a space that is highly structured, visually appealing, specialised to patients’ diverse learning needs, and makes the young people feel welcome and safe.
Cheryl Smith adds: “I feel we have accomplished this within the new design, and I’m thoroughly looking forward to completing the exciting move early next year.” Adolescents participating in the charity’s TEACCH programme have access to a range of activities, including vocational work experience, personalised learning, social skills development, individualised personal development programmes, and art and music projects.
LOOKING AHEAD
The overall construction of FitzRoy House is now complete, and the building has been handed over to St Andrew’s. Now begins the process of final touches to the facility, and the painstaking task of ensuring that it is fully safe and functional before the patients move in. Patients and staff are enormously excited about their new home, and St Andrew’s is working to make the process smooth for everyone, including the families and carers of patients, as they move in and settle into Europe’s biggest adolescent residential facility.n
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