Parents & Carers

Our Approach

Our model is a careful blend of learning, care and in-house therapeutic support designed to meet the specific needs of unique people. Our team of positive, dedicated and creative staff are experienced and skilled in supporting children and adults to learn and progress, to enjoy positive roles in their community, and to make memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.

Through our multi-disciplinary approach, we promote and encourage everything that makes the individual inherently unique, whilst supporting their specific needs. Ours is a positive model of support that encourages individuals to discover and nurture their innate personalities, abilities and strengths, and one that celebrates and reinforces positive behaviour. Individuals in our services associate their schools and homes with being engaged, valued and respected.

Our aim is to equip the people we support with the skills they need to succeed when they leave us.

Aims & Values

• We support unique individuals to learn and develop skills that will enable them to play an active and valued role in their community.
• The people we support are able to make informed choices regarding the education and care that they receive. Our model is entirely person-centred.
• We engage with parents and carers to ensure that placements are successful.
• We want children and adults to be themselves, and to explore their innate and inherent likes, interests, opinions and personalities: indeed, to meet the person that sits behind their label.
• We empower people to become independent and to engage in lifelong learning, to develop their voice and their confidence, to focus on their health and wellbeing, to make informed choices and to lay their own foundations for their life to follow.

Objectives

• All care and education plans to be based on a comprehensive assessment of need carried out by a multi-disciplinary team.
• The people we support, their families and carers will remain integral to this process.
• Every person we support will have an individualised programme of learning.
• Every person we support will have a suitably skilled team around them that understands and respects their individual needs.
• Every person we support will have individualised learning, communication and sensory plans when required.
• Every person we support will have a behaviour support plan.
• Every person we support will have a risk assessment and management plan that enables them to take risks in a considered and positive way.

This is a list of our current awards.

2019

• Finalist — ILM Leading Wales Award
• Finalist — Great Practice Award
• Finalist — Employer of the Year Award

2018

• Winner — National LD and Autism Award
  (Making a Difference, Ty Coryton)
• Winner — National LD and Autism Award
  (Promoting Fulfilled Lives, Bangeston Hall)
• Finalist — Variety Catherine Award
  (Lucy Pottinger, Director of Childrens Services)

How does Orbis receive referrals?
As placements are funded by a placing authority, any referral for a school or residential placement, for a child or an adult, needs to be received from the local authority, health board or education authority that is commissioning a placement. Up to this point however parents and carers can enquire about Orbis services, visit us and collect information about what we do and how we do it, as well as where we are. We are unable to assess an adult or child without the placing authority’s permission to do so.

Who pays for the services that Orbis provides?
Placements with Orbis are funded by a combination of social care, health and education funding as appropriate to the needs of the placement. So an education-only placement is paid by the local education authority whereas a placement that requires both education and residential support is funded by a combination of education and care. For adults with complex health needs, a placement may be funded fully or in part by health and/or social services.

Can the services provided by Orbis Education and Care be full or part-time?
For children we provide full-time education and can offer this on a school-only basis. However in a residential setting, care can be offered on a full or part time basis, on a weekly boarding-basis with weekends at home. We also offer term-time only residential placements where the child returns home for the academic holidays or a full time 52 week option. We do not offer respite or short breaks. For adults it is anticipated that residential placements will be full-time.

How often can I visit a loved one at Orbis Education and Care?
There are no restrictions when it comes to visiting, however we do ask that visits are arranged in advanced so that we can prepare the child or adult for visitor and a potential change in their routine.

Can Orbis Education and Care provided respite services as and when required?
Orbis does not offer respite/short breaks and cannot offer emergency placements that are required on the same day. We have to assess every child and adult that may be placement with us to ensure that we can meet their needs and offer a suitable peer group, as well as plan a carefully supported transition where required.