Wirral Residential Service

Transcription

1 Wirral Residential Service Resident s Guide

2 What to expect when you arrive We are really pleased you have made the brave decision to come to our Wirral Residential Service. Our staff and other residents will support you throughout your programme. They will be on hand to talk to and encourage you. Your time with us will be hard work and challenging, but you will be surrounded by like-minded people who will help keep you focused on the new life that you will be able to build after you leave us. At Phoenix, we believe that recovery is much more than giving up drugs and alcohol, it s about building a full, meaningful and productive life after you leave us. To help you to do this, your time at Wirral Residential Service will focus on life skills as well as your addiction. Our Wirral Residential Service is unique as not only do we have on-site kennels, which allow you to bring your dogs into treatment with you (subject to a screening process please contact our admissions team for more information), but we also have a range of animals living on site including pygmy goats, rabbits and chickens. Caring for these animals is integrated into the programme and you will have a chance to spend time with them all if you wish. We hope that this Guide will answer some of the questions you may have and give you a good idea of what your day-to-day life at Wirral Residential will be like. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact our admissions team, who will be happy to answer them for you. We wish you the best of luck on your recovery journey and look forward to welcoming you at Wirral Residential service. On arrival at the service, you will be greeted by a staff member, who after offering you a cup of tea will introduce you to your buddy. Your buddy will be someone further on in the programme who is there to answer any questions you may have or simply to have a chat. We understand that coming into a big residential service without knowing anyone can be difficult. Because of this we have developed an introductory stage we call Welcome House. You will be in this stage for roughly four weeks where you will have the chance to settle into your new home and begin to learn about the programme at a steady pace. As a Welcome House community member you are the most important person in the house and all community members and other staff appreciate what a big step you have taken moving into the house to make these changes. Once you reach the primary stage you will be expected to help with running the house. During your Welcome House stage you will be given the opportunity to try out different departments to see which ones you would like to work in. Detox We detox from a number of substances, but mainly opiates and alcohol. You will be registered at the GP s surgery as soon as you arrive and the doctor will prescribe appropriate medication at an appropriate dose. Detox can be a difficult time, so during initial stages of the programme you will have less responsibility in the house than you will do as you move further through the programme.

3 Stages of the Programme Primary Stage This stage lasts for up to 12 weeks, following completion of the Welcome House stage. It is where the biggest changes take place. In your one-to-ones you and your keyworker will begin to set targets for yourself that relate to your life, your thought processes and your relationships. You will work with your peers and keyworker to work out how you are going to reach these targets. Whilst in the Primary Stage you will get a job in a department such as the kitchen or maintenance. You may even be appointed as house leader! As you progress you will support others coming into the Welcome House, acting as a buddy for new residents as someone will for you when you arrive. As you move through Primary Stage you will be encouraged to access recreational and educational activities outside of the service. Senior Stage During this stage you will take steps towards independence and develop education and employment opportunities. You will take a more senior role in the house and act as a positive role model, providing support for junior members of the community. You will be given more time out of the programme if you take on more responsibilities. During this time you will continue to attend groupwork and keywork sessions. Your keyworker will help you prepare to leave, and to think about housing and employment afterwards. To give you an idea of how your day will be structured, please see to the right a sample timetable of a typical day in the Welcome House stage. Your days will be pretty busy throughout the programme, with group work, one-to-ones and activities within the house. As you move through the programme, you will be given more and more freedom and time to yourself, preparing you to leave the residential service, particularly at evenings and weekends. Throughout your time with us there will be a number of regular groups which will take place daily or weekly. Morning Meeting: is held first thing after breakfast each day. Everyone attends, this group which is designed to set you up for the day and for you to let others know if you are feeling good or need some extra support that day. Evening Meeting: brings the community together at the end of the day. Community Meeting: held once a week to discuss practical things within the house. Peer groups: run once a week and are led by another resident who has been trained to lead groups. The purpose of the group is to discuss a range of topics decided by the group, and as a means of supporting each other. Gender groups: we run separate groups for men and women, so that you are able to explore topics you may not be comfortable discussing with members of the opposite sex. A Typical Day 7.00 Wake up 7.30 Breakfast/ Department check-in 7.45 Medication 8.30 Morning meeting 9.00 Departments 9.30 Key working sessions Tea break/department check-in Peer support group Lunch/department check-in 1.15 Community clear-up/dishpan 1.30 Medication 1.45 Room jobs :1 peer counselling 2.15 Encounter group 3.15 Tea break/department check-in 3.30 Room jobs checked 3.45 Community projects department meeting 4.45 Community clear-up/department check-in 5.00 Dinner/dishpan 6.00 Medication 6.30 Evening meeting 7.00 Observed peer group support 8.00 Pull-ups/push-ups/outcomes with staff 8.30 Personal calls/free time Community check-in/tea break Medications Bedtime Assignment groups: you will be set written assignments to do throughout your time with us. During these groups, you will present your work to the rest of the residents and receive feedback. Goals group: Setting goals in recovery is very important as it keeps us focused and gives us structure. These groups give you an opportunity to discuss goals with your peers and make plans for how you are going to reach them.

4 The Service Recovery through... The Wirral Residential Service is located in a large Edwardian house in the Wirral suburbs. It can accommodate up to 32 people at one time. The male residents live together in the main house, with a dedicated cottage for female residents. Everyone comes together during the day to participate in the programme. Between you all you will run the house, cooking, cleaning and maintaining it. The jobs you are allocated in the primary stage will give you opportunities to develop skills you may not already have. Along with all the jobs you would expect we also have a specific livestock crew at the Wirral. This crew is responsible for caring for all of the on-site animals. On-site Kennels We have three on-site kennels meaning that three residents at any one time are able to bring their dogs into treatment with them. All dogs will be subject to a screening process. Their owners are expected to look after their own dogs during department time and also during their own time. Responsibility for the the cleanliness, health and hygiene of the dogs will ultimately rest with the owner. Once residents begin to progress through the different stages of treatment they can request to go for walks away from the service with their dogs. At Phoenix we do our best to provide extra activities that will help you to express yourself and also learn new skills. We have grouped these extras into three categories: Recovery through Nature, Recovery through the Arts and Recovery through Sport. Below are some examples of some of the things we have done in the past, which you may have a chance to participate in during your time in treatment. Recovery through Nature (RtN) We run a conservation programme every Wednesday, which gives service users the chance to develop practical conservation skills while giving something back to the local community. We go out to various locations west of the Wirral, including Thursaston Common and the Wirral County Park. You will work on a variety of tasks including heathland clearance and putting in benches and picnic tables. RtN is a great opportunity for you to learn new skills in the fresh air away from the service. Recovery through the Arts We have delivered art therapy sessions for residents We have a links with the Lady Lever Art Gallery, which allows us to go to art presentations and productions We have links with the theatre group No Place Productions, who support the service to deliver plays We have an in-house choir called Phoenix Voices, who meet weekly. The choir have performed at local and national Phoenix events We deliver weekly shared reading sessions with the Reader Organisation, which are great for exploring creativity and imagination Recovery through Sport We work with an organisation called Crisis who deliver wellbeing groups and yoga sessions. We have some gym equipment which you are able to use in your spare time Later on in the programme you will be able to request to go out running, to the gym or swimming We have participated in the homeless league football tournament We run a yearly 5 day sailing trip for selected residents

5 Family Support Recovery Housing Phoenix Futures understands the importance of involving family/carers and non-drug using friends in your treatment and this is encouraged. Whether you already have close relationships with your loved ones or you wish to rebuild relationships, we will support you with this. Telephone calls: We have public phones which are available to use daily. If you have children you will be allowed additional phone calls to them from the office. Any other private phone calls can be made in the morning and are authorised based on need. Letters and parcels: You may send and receive as many letters as you wish, but all incoming post must be opened in front of staff to keep the service safe. Visits: As well as family members attending your care reviews, we offer family visits so that they have the opportunity to see where you live, what work you do and how you are progressing. These visits are also subject to a thorough risk assessment, especially where children will be present, and visits are pre-arranged so that everybody has the opportunity to receive regular visits. We also expect that visitors uphold the rules of the house and what s particularly important is: They do not consume, possess or supply drugs or alcohol on Phoenix Futures premises They do not behave inappropriately, including turning up intoxicated They do not arrive outside of prearranged times They do not wander around the service unless for a specific purpose Once you have come to the end of your residential programme, you have the option to either move into our Recovery Housing in the Wirral or onto your own tenancy. We will support you with whichever decision you make. Here at the Wirrial Residential Service, we have developed strong links with a number of different local agencies providing housing and housing related support. We will support you by forming similar links with organisations in your local area if you are planning to return home when you finish your programme. FLAMES group: We also run monthly FLAMES (Family and Loved One Accessing Mutual and Emotional Support) meetings. This is an opportunity for family members and loved ones to come to the service and participate in a group with other residents families and loved ones. The groups are designed to give them a better understanding of treatment and how they can support you through your time with us and after you leave. For those who wish to make a fresh start in the Wirral after they finish treatment, there is an option to move into our Recovery Housing. This provides you with a safe environment, living with others who are leading abstinent, recovery orientated lives. If you decide to stay in our Recovery Housing our dedicated housing workers will help you with developing your life skills, finding suitable education, volunteering or employment opportunities and becoming part of the local community. When you are ready to live more independently our staff team will support you with finding your own home.

6 Service User Charter Frequently Asked Questions 1. How long will the referral process take? Our Admission Team and your Care Manager will guide you through the referral process. You will need to undertake an assessment with one of our team so we can gather any further information needed. The whole process can be completed in less than a week, but can often take longer depending on your circumstances. 2. Can I visit the service before I decide whether I want to come? Yes, you will need to do an assessment with one of our admissions team. We normally encourage you to come to the service to do this so you can meet the team and see where you will be living at the same time. If you can t come to the service we can do this assessment on the phone. 3. What do you detox from and how long does this last? We are able to offer low-risk detoxes from opiates (such as heroin & methadone) and alcohol. Higher-risk detoxes for example, if your current usage is very high, or if you have pre-existing medical conditions of concern - typically need to be done externally. 4. What personal items should/shouldn t I bring? You should bring clothing for a variety of seasons, toiletries that don t contain alcohol, any documents you might need regarding your current housing or financial situation, outdoor footwear if you have some, pictures of your family and loved-ones to go in your room and a towel. Please do not bring your laptop, any clothing advertising alcohol or drugs or football shirts. If you bring a mobile phone, it will be stored securely on-site as residents are not permitted to have phones on their person. If you are unsure if you are able to bring something then please ask one of the team. 5. Will I have to make a financial contribution towards the cost of my treatment? This will be determined by your local authority who will usually complete a financial assessment with you to determine if you have to contribute and how much this will be. Once you have arrived, the admin team will then make arrangements with you to collect your contribution. If you are unsure if you are expected to contribute then please speak to your Care Manager. 6. Will the other residents be of similar ages and backgrounds? You will often find that there are others in the service of similar ages and backgrounds, however, the programme encourages you to be open, which will help you to find common ground with the whole community. Lots of residents leave with friends for life. 7. Will I be able to go to the shops or the bank? Yes you will be able to go on town visits. At the beginning of your programme these will be escorted, but as you move through you will be give more opportunities to leave the site on your own or with other residents. 8. Will I be able to speak to my family and friends? Yes. Although you will not have a mobile phone or access to social media, we do have a phone which can be used to phone relatives in the evening. This is done on a rota basis to make it fair for everyone. Those with children are given extra time. You are able to have prearranged visits from family and children at the weekends and as you come to the end of the programme will be able to go and visit them off-site, and perhaps have overnight stays. Throughout the programme you can send and receive as many letters and parcels as you wish. 9. What is the food like? All food is prepared on-site by the residents. It is healthy, hearty and home-cooked. You will eat all of your meals with the other residents and staff, this is a brilliant time for socialising and for this reason you are unable to prepare your own meals. However we will cater for different dietary requirements. 10. What are the rooms like? We have a mixture of spacious, comfortable shared rooms for two to four residents of the same gender. Everyone has their own storage space for clothes and personal items and there are also lockers available. All the bedrooms have an easily accessible shared bathroom close by. 11. Can I smoke? All of our services have a designated smoking area where you can smoke. You cannot smoke in the bedrooms. 12. Can I bring in medication? Yes you can bring in most medication, if it is prescribed. It will be held by the staff team who will administer it to you as per the doctor s instructions. We hope that this guide has answered any questions you may have, however, please let

7 This place gave me my life back; I have got back everything I have dreamt about.. I m finally happy Steve, service user Wirral Residential Service Upton Road Bidston CH43 7QF To speak to one of our staff about the next step Call us: us: wirral.residential@phoenix-futures.org.uk Visit us: facebook.com/phoenixfutures Phoenix Futures is a registered charity in England and Wales (No ) and in Scotland (No SCO39008); Company Limited by Guarantee (No ); Registered Tenant Services Authority (No H3795)