The Stepping Stones Programme.

We would love to hear from you if you are thinking of making a referral to us. We accept fostering, residential and day pupil education referrals.

The majority of our referrals are for our award winning ‘stepping stone’ placements which have become our speciality placements. These placements are shorter term, outcome focused pieces of work within our group living residential homes. They then move through to a foster placement with one of our therapeutic foster carers. We create a secure base for the child within the group living homes through the development of meaningful relationships and whilst stabilising their behaviour. We then begin the planning for a therapeutic foster placement whilst the child keeps the continuity of their school, their therapist and keyworkers which is completed very carefully. Links to our most recent Ofsted report and Statement of Purpose can be found at the bottom of this page.

Cost Effective and Outcome Focussed Placements

Our unique residential to fostering ‘stepping stone’ program allows us to help a child who previously would have spent an indefinite amount of time within children’s residential services. Some of these children were not expected to be able to function outside of a residential children’s home for the remainder of their childhood when they were placed with us. It is also particularly effective for those children who continuously break foster placements down, further compounding their issues. We are able to do this through very careful planning around the transition for the child. Many of whom will keep their same school placement, therapist, and key staff involvement throughout the process.

Why choose C&C Fostering?

Some of the benefits for local authorities include:

  • Our award-winning “Stepping Stones placements (therapeutic residential to therapeutic fostering placement). We are one of the only providers in the country to offer a step down program. This is hugely cost effective for Local Authorities due to the reduction in fee when the child moves back in to a family placement. It is so reputable we have been asked to write a best practice guide for Parliament this year. 
  • We break cycles and improve outcomes for young people. Our outcomes are measurable for emotional and cognitive development, behaviour, and education. We specialise in stabilising young people who display complex and challenging behaviour, and have a history of placement breakdown.
  • Our therapeutic fostering team consists of well qualified and highly experienced Social Workers and therapists. Each family has an allocated Psychotherapist to support their fostering journey.
  • We have highly trained foster carers. Please read our training and support pages.
  • We are a one stop shop for Local Authorities as we have residential, fostering, education and therapy services all in house. This minimises any delay on the child receiving the services that they may require such as a school placement or specialist assessment.

 

Our assessment process

At the start of every child’s placement with us we complete a robust assessment process, which includes developing ongoing knowledge and understanding of the child as well as an attachment-based assessment (incorporating social integration) and Psychological and Psychiatric assessment as required. This assessment process will conclude in developing the child’s treatment plan which is devised by the fostering, school and therapy team. The Therapy Coordinator will also allocate a member of their team to the child. Please see our therapy section for more details.

What placements do we offer?

Channels and Choices Therapeutic Fostering in Kent provides a wide range of placements for children and young people of all ages and needs, these include:

  • Long term placements
  • Short term placements
  • Sibling groups
  • Respite placements
  • Assessment placements
  • Bridging placements
  • Solo placements
  • Unique Channels & Choices ‘Stepping Stone’ Placements (therapeutic residential to therapeutic Foster placements)

About Channels & Choices

Channels & Choices was founded by a group of social workers in 2005. Our therapeutic fostering service was an evolutionary development for the service. We had built our reputation as a centre of excellence for therapeutic residential services over many years and recognised that many of the children in our care had made enough progress for them to move towards a foster family placement.

Read more about Channels & Choices’ journey so far.

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