New Core and Cluster Service at Burnfoot Court in Newcastle

Over the past year ESPA and Newcastle City Council with other key partners have been working collaboratively to develop services for 6 people with autism, learning disabilities and mental health conditions in a new core and cluster service at Burnfoot Court in Kenton. This is one of a number of new initiatives Newcastle are developing as and part of their Transforming Care plans towards reducing in-patient beds for people who do not need to be in hospital settings.

ESPA have welcomed such a great opportunity to participate in real partnership working with Newcastle’s’ Commissioning, Learning Disability and Autism Teams, Northgate Hospital, Behaviour Analyses Intervention (BAIT) Team, Your Homes Newcastle and a range of other services to realise a shared motivation for positive change for these people who require intensive and specialist support in their tenancies.

Each person has their own purpose built bungalow designed around a landscaped court yard. For one person a highly bespoke environment has been created to meet his complex and challenging needs.

The model is designed to:

• support people to move out of hospital settings into their own home in the community
• improve people’s quality of life and experiences
• support people to achieve better outcomes
• enable people to become valued members of their community
• establish new ways of working and evidencing best practice
• have Positive Behaviour Support values and principles embedded in all support planning and delivery

A tremendous amount of work has been done to ensure a smooth and successful moves for each of the men. The first person is expected to move to his new home in October. Everyone’s support will be individualised and person centred and is being funded through Individual Service Funds.

ESPA are recruiting a management and support team who have a diverse range of skills and experiences to ensure each man receives an excellent quality service.

The Registered Manager, Sarah Eccles, has worked across ESPA services for over 20 years and she has a wealth of experience and knowledge supporting people with autism and managing and developing staff teams. Between the three Deputy Managers Mark, Lesley-Anne and Sandra they also bring vast experiences of supporting people with autism, learning disabilities, mental health conditions. This dynamic management team will support the wider support team to ensure excellent practices are achieved and that the people they support live a life they enjoy.

ESPA’s Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) are working closely with Newcastle’s BAIT Team to:

• monitor and evaluate the outcomes and quality of life for each person
• continue to promote and train staff in Positive Behaviour Support which complements ESPA’s own Studio 3 training in non-aversion
• strive to make the service one where each person can be supported to live their life in the community and realise their personal wishes, needs and expectations

Recently Ang Jamson, Lead Learning Disability Commissioner for Newcastle City Council, extended an invitation to colleagues who are part of the North East and Cumbria Transforming Care Group to visit the new development. After the visit Judith Thompson from the North East & Cumbria Learning Disability Network said:

‘It was a very inspiring visit, an excellent model and demonstrated really fantastic collaboration with all key stakeholders’ ‘It really brought to light all our discussions, description and aspirations to life’

ESPA are excited about the new service and we are looking forward to each of the men moving into their new homes. As ESPA’s project lead I have enjoyed the many stages of the development from the first meeting Lesley Lane (ESPA’s Chief Executive) and I had with Ang Jameson (Commissioner), Gary Myerscough (Specialist Services Learning Disability Team) and Annette Courtney (Specialist Services Autism and Asperger and Carers Social Work Team) to time spent with Social Workers, ESPA colleagues and MDT, BAIT, Your Homes Newcastle, the Northgate Hospital team and of course parents, families and the men themselves.

I know I speak on behalf of everyone involved in the planning and realization of this service when we extend our very best wishes to the men as they move into their new homes.

Pauline Shannon

Development Manager