Loveguard Ltd: Children's Homes
Healing Attachment Trauma and other Trauma in Children and Young People's Residential Care
Welcome to Loveguard Ltd Children's Home
Our Location
Loveguard Ltd took 5 years researching this project with our consultants and 2 of those years travelling all over Devon trying to find the best location/property combination. Cullompton is an excellent location for a children’s home with regard to access. Located right in the middle of Mid Devon’s M5 corridor at Junction 28. Cullompton is 6 miles from Tiverton, 13 miles from Exeter, and 19 miles from Taunton. Cullompton is located on the edge of Blackdown Hills (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), less than 30 mins from Dunkery & Horner Wood National Nature Reserve to the northwest, 30 mins from Quantock Hills in the northeast, and less than 30 mins from the vast outdoor space that is Dartmoor National Park (20 miles x 20 miles) to the southwest. Cullompton is less than 30 mins from the ‘English Riviera’ on Devon’s south coast and an hour-and-a-half from Devon’s north coast surfing holiday beaches (Croyde, Woolacombe, etc).
The property, Station House, is a detached house situated in Cullompton, an important town in mid Devon since ancient times. Occupied since Roman times, then by the Anglo-Saxon King ‘Alfred the Great’, the town's economy historically prospered from its wool and cloth trade. 32 beautiful acres of trees and fields can be accessed from the footpaths direct from the house without using the roads. At the playing fields there is a children’s play park, a free to use transitions skate-park (metal ramps for BMX, scooter, and skateboard) and the Culm Valley Sports Centre (squash courts, sports hall, fitness studio, etc). Cullompton is located in a very narrow geological corridor that boasts the lowest concentrations of radon in UK. Radon is a naturally occurring gas within the Devon geology that can offer a significant threat to human health. The risk in Collumpton is expected to be negligible.
Cullompton Tesco Superstore and Cullompton High Street are a minute’s walk away. The dental surgery and opticians, primary schools, and a secondary school, sports facilities, restaurants, various shops, and many park/play areas, including a free-to-use transitions skate-park, coffee shops, hairdressers and beauty-parlours, take-away restaurants, the church, and a youth club are within walking distance. Cullompton Fire Station, Police station and GP Surgery are close by. Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital is less than 25 minutes drive down the M5 (14 miles).
Local recreational activities
St A’s Youth Club (in Cullompton)
- The Bear Trail- Family adventure assault course in mud (in Cullompton)
- Diggerland Devon- Family adventure driving real diggers (in Cullompton)
- Yarak Birds of Prey- Indoor & outdoor all-weather flying (in Cullompton)
- Footgolf Devon- 9-hole outdoor football golf fun (in Cullompton)
- Quad World- Family quad-bike racing (8 mins away)
- Wall in the Hall- Indoor climbing wall with tuition (15 mins away)
- Tivoli Cinema Tiverton- Traditional cinema (15 mins away)
- Crealy Theme Park & Resort (20 mins away)
- Wildwood Escott- Indoor & outdoor all-weather adventure & wolves, lynx, wild boar, fox, otters (20 mins away)
- Vue/Odeon/Picture house in Exeter- 3 state-of-the-art cinemas (20-25 mins away)
- The Quay Climbing Centre- Climbing & bouldering centre (25 mins away)
- Exeter Canoe Club- River & canal kayaking tuition (25 mins away) ...and much more!
Our Clinical Services
A designated PGA HCPC-registered clinical psychologist (CP) will:
· Be consulted in the matching process wherever possible prior to intake
· Remotely assess each child on intake – background and psychometrics provided and consultation with the psychotherapy consultant
· Generating an assessment report – template provided
· Supervise monthly the psychotherapy consultant (Paul) specifically for the administering of strategies in the assessment for each child - monthly supervision
· Supervise the psychotherapy consultant at and beyond the end of placement to review provision effectiveness and feedback – monthly supervision
· Be on call to the psychotherapy consultant in the case of incidents in between – scheduled supervision calls & email support
A designated PGA BACP & EMDR UK (Child & Adolescent) accredited trauma psychotherapy consultant will:
· Attend the pre-assessment (matching) meeting wherever possible prior to intake
· Write and distribute a therapeutic needs assessment including the delivery of qualitative, ‘child’s voice’ (“My Star” as currently licenced to PGA) and quantitative (ACC, ACA & short forms from PGA’s current agreement with the author) psychometric measures to each child within one month after intake
· Liaise with/support the clinical psychologist with the delivery of the initial assessment report
· Consult weekly with RM specifically about the delivery of the assessed interventions
· Deliver regular and frequent BRAIN model (PGA’s Attachment and Trauma informed practice for children’s home sector) trainings to whole Loveguard staff team
· Review monthly intervention effectiveness with the child and their key-carer/other staff
· Design, arrange and fund outside agencies to provide a bespoke, assessed-for weekly attachment-informed activity timetable for every child
· Arrange and attend monthly consultations with the activity providers (where appropriate) to gauge engagement and effectiveness
· Review the interventions with the clinical psychologist in supervision (monthly) and via additional ad hoc meetings where necessary.
· Review the interventions with RM, key-carer, social worker, school, parent (where appropriate) every 4 – 6 months
· Deliver an ending interview with every child and collect feedback on the effectiveness of the LOVEGUARD therapeutic package (where appropriate).
A designated PGA Assistant Psychologist (AP) will:
· Co-ordinate between the clinical psychologist (CP), the psychotherapy consultant and the registered manager (RM)
· Prepare and upload reports with psychometric measures directly onto Clearcare
· Assist in the delivery of staff trainings and CPD
Our Facilities
- Building Structure:
- Original construction of the house is in solid local stone, cob, and brick.
- Traditional Devon houses with high thermal mass and low thermal conductivity.
- Provides stable indoor temperature, reducing energy bills and carbon footprint.
- Exterior Features:
- Courtyard with 6 ft high redwood swan-neck double-gates for privacy, safety, and security.
- Bin storage available in the courtyard.
- Front Elevation:
- Impressive front elevation with traditional proportions in breathable, waterproof, silicate, substrate-appropriate paint.
- Solid wood front door under the arbour.
- New windows meeting British Standards with various features for safety and security.
- Parking:
- Private drive for 2 cars.
- Additional parking options at Tesco and Station Road Car park.
- 2 for 1 Season ticket parking at Pay & Display car park 1 minute walk away.
- Courtyard Garden:
- Suntrap courtyard with architectural planting and 2 sets of double-gates for additional child road-safety.
- Cottage-style planting, raised-bed, outdoor seating/dining, and low-maintenance lawn.
- Raised decked-area along the eastern boundary with sun exposure.
- Garden Room:
- Multi-purpose garden room for children/young people activities.
- Gym, dance studio, games room, meeting room with natural light.
- Equipped with removable, non-toxic, fire-retardant soft foam yoga/play matting and sun-loungers.
- Interior Design and Layout:
- Station House designed for 3 children/young people (5-18 years).
- 3 child bedrooms, 2 staff sleeping rooms (flexible arrangement options).
- Bedrooms promote attachment and trauma healing with safety features.
- Homely design with high safety and security standards.
- Certifications:
- Significant investment and redesign with relevant certificates.
- Building Regulations Certificate, Fire Certificate, Legionnaires Certificate, Gas Certificate, Electric Certificate, PAT testing Certificate.
- Family Kitchen:
- Modern double-height family kitchen with natural light.
- Gas central heating, under-floor heating, breakfast bar, and solid oak dining table.
- Equipped with double electric induction hob, double-oven, ample workspaces, and storage.
- Treehouse Chill Out Space:
- Mezzanine-floor chill out space above the kitchen.
- Beanbags and soft furnishings create a safe, cosy space.
- Designed for stretching out the body for trauma healing.
- Bathrooms and Washrooms:
- 3 separate toilets/washrooms.
- Ground-floor bathroom with L-shaped bath, electric shower, toilet, basin, and storage.
- First-floor shower-room with walk-in electric shower, toilet, basin, and storage.
- Additional separate WC on the ground floor.
- Utility Room:
- Ground-floor utility room with washing machine, tumble dryer, and storage.
- Communal Lounge Areas:
- Two communal lounge areas for watching TV, playing games, or connecting with the team.
- Designed with attachment in mind, furnished with comfortable and modern arrangements.