Our approach

We report change,
not activity.

Every young person is assessed against a structured independence framework when they arrive, at every review, and when they move on. Placing authorities receive that evidence as standard. We would rather show you distance travelled than a list of activities.

The pathway

What happens, in order

This is the route a young person actually moves through — and the points at which you get something in writing from us.

Referral We decide whether the placement is right, and say so quickly. A no comes with the reason, and where we know one, a better-placed provider. How referrals work.
On arrival A structured independence assessment. A baseline across living skills, education, employment and training, health, relationships and money — recorded against the same framework we will use at every review. Without a baseline there is no distance to measure.
Week one An outcome-led support plan, owned by the young person. Goals in their words, not a task list owned by staff. A plan a young person did not agree to is a plan they will not work.
Ongoing Key-work sessions against that plan. A named key worker, at least weekly, working the goals rather than filling in a contact log. Progress is recorded against the framework so it can be compared over time.
At review Reassessment against the same framework. The same questions, scored the same way, so movement is visible rather than asserted. Shared with the placing authority as routine.
Move-on A leaving summary showing distance travelled. What the young person arrived able to do, what they leave able to do, and what still needs support. They keep a copy. So do you.

The commitment

What you receive, and when

Most providers will send you this if you ask. We send it whether you ask or not.

On arrivalThe independence baseline
Week oneThe agreed support plan
Every 4 weeksA placement report
At every reviewReassessment against the baseline
At move-onThe leaving summary

Incidents are notified to the allocated worker within 24 hours in writing, sooner by phone where urgent. Our threshold for telling you is low — you decide what matters, not us.

Risk, managed in the open

Risk is assessed at referral, recorded against a severity matrix, and reviewed on a set cycle rather than when something goes wrong. Where a risk changes, the assessment changes and you are told — we do not hold a revision back until the next report is due.

Trauma-informed, specifically

In practice that means predictability over rules for their own sake: staff who knock and wait, decisions that get explained, and consequences that are proportionate and known in advance. A young person who cannot predict the adults around them cannot settle enough to make progress. What that looks like day to day.

See the framework itself

The independence assessment framework, the support plan template and the leaving summary format are available to commissioning teams on request, before you refer anyone.

referrals@the-emberproject.co.uk