Beech Trees

Beech Trees House is a beautiful modern house situated on a small development in a rural location. It offers accommodation for up to five young people aged between eight and eighteen, who have been assessed as presenting, emotional, behavioural or educational difficulties. The home constitutes a safe and secure environment at what can be a very difficult time in their lives.

Our aim is to provide young people with care planning based on a therapeutic approach and tailored to their individual needs. In tandem with our associated organisation Oakwood School, we create individual education packages for each young person, which both aids the reparative process and offers them the chance to maximise their future life choices.

The ethos and atmosphere of the home encourages personal growth whilst taking all reasonable measures to minimise the risk of harm to self and others. We strive to offer a caring and stimulating environment that enables young people to reach their potential, building on their strengths and celebrating their individual achievements.

It is essential that we give the young people in our care the opportunity to learn and grow, emotionally, educationally and socially. We want to ensure that they are able to repair and move on from the bad experiences they may have had in their life. As part of this approach we offer on-site therapy where our company therapist works with young people on an individual basis offering a service unique to each child’s particular needs.

Allied to this is the importance of providing a safe environment free from abuse in its many forms, including bullying and any behaviour that is disrespectful of an individual or groups of individuals, their family or community.

Inside the home all bedrooms are individualised to suit personal likes and dislikes. The home has excellent modern communal facilities, including large kitchen, dining and lounge areas. Externally the home has good sized gardens allowing plenty of opportunity for outdoor recreation.

Preparing young people for independence, something they may have previously struggled to achieve on their own, is our ultimate aim. However, we don’t do this alone. We develop an honest and open working partnership with each young person and in cooperation with other agencies we provide a continuity and consistency of care that benefits the young person as a whole.

Achieving this consistency does not happen by chance. Our staff team have all undertaken training across many aspects of the care of young people including safeguarding, child protection, behaviour management, first aid, ADHD and Autism, and they all undertake the Diploma Level 3 in Caring for children and Young People. Everyone at the home combines professional expertise with compassion and a genuine desire to achieve the very best outcomes for the young people who come to live with us.

Home Manager: CHANTELLE DAWSON

Chantelle started working within Education services in 2016, in college placements, whilst completing her NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care. She had her first placement at an SEN provision and worked predominantly with children who had severe, non-verbal Autism. After three years in education, she moved over to working in Children’s Residential services . She has worked in several homes as an RCW, enjoying being able to continue supporting the children that she worked with beyond their hours of education.

She took her first post as a Team Leader within a new Children’s Home in 2019. At this time she received extensive training – including Senior Leadership and Management, Team Cohesion and PACE. She delivered training to staff and was a mentor for her team. 

Following this she became a Unit-Coordinator for a newly established semi-independent provider, coordinating a four-bed service in Bournemouth during 2020. The pandemmic meant her returning to the Leicester area where she joined United Children’s Services as an RCW. She has worked across all the UCS homes and in September 2020 was promoted to Senior Residential Childcare Worker, before becoming Deputy Manager in February 2021. She spent her time as a deputy at The Laurels – an LGBTQ+ specialist provision, which she thoroughly enjoyed. 

She left work to have her first baby in November 2021 and whilst on maternity leave, applied for the Registered Manager post at Beech Trees. She was appointed in March 2022, returning early from maternity leave, and has been managing the home ever since.