Residential Placements at our Colleges
Meaningful living and learning
For many of the students who come to a Ruskin Mill Trust college, living away from home is seen as a rite of passage, something their peers or siblings may have done, part of being an adult. The residential provision at Ruskin Mill Trust colleges aims to provide opportunities for students to grow into adulthood, while working to keep them safe.
Students can experience our Shared Lives model where they live with Shared Lives Providers, or in a Team Home provision where they are supported by a consistent team of engagement workers. All our staff in both models of residential service receive extensive training and development opportunities and are highly committed to the research-based work they do.
Everyone is encouraged to help out in the household, each according to their individual skills and abilities
Students can experience pride and pleasure from making valued contributions to the household
Produce from the farm and craft items from the workshops are brought home
Residential homes provide many opportunities for gaining living skills
Residential homes are in the local community, providing students with opportunities for engaging with events and activities, and to develop new interests and friendships
The Seven Care Qualities
We pride ourselves on our Seven Care Qualities and support structures which can be adapted to help students overcome challenges, as well as providing opportunities for learning and progression. Staff continuously assess students’ abilities and ensure appropriate support is provided to keep them safe in an informed learning environment.
Click on any of the Seven Care Qualities below to learn more.
1. Rhythm
The care quality of rhythm can provide students with the benefits of regularity, flow, and the experience of sequencing and measuring.
2. Warmth
The care quality of warmth can provide students with the benefits of the being in an environment that is welcoming, receptive, and responsive.
3. Nourishment
The care quality of nourishment can provide students with the benefits of being in an environment that nurtures all their senses in positive ways
4. Trust
5. Constancy
The care quality of constancy provides students with the benefits of the being in an environment that is reliable, maintained and supportive of their positive growth and development.
6. Culture
7. Recreation
Our residential services are not just where students live, but more importantly where they grow and develop. Alongside our daytime provisions, they offer a fully integrated approach to meaningful learning, where the home environment provides constructive opportunities for rehearsing the transferable skills gained during the day. Everyone is expected to actively contribute to the day-to-day running of the home at whichever level is appropriate. Through this process of collaboration and interdependence, social skills, practical living skills and self-care skills are gained, leading to a developing sense of autonomy and increasing self-esteem.
Our residential homes offer a fully integrated approach to meaningful living and learning, with many opportunities to practise the transferable skills gained during the day at school or college. Models of our residential offer vary to ensure we can provide the best match for individual needs.