The Next Step Trust’s primary objective is to provide a comprehensive Day Service provision to meet the needs of adults with learning disabilities, complex health needs and Autism. We aim to support our Next Steppers to embrace the wider world partaking in both in house and community activities whilst meeting personal care and medication needs. In house activities include Hydrotherapy, Arts & Crafts, Music & Sensory Sessions whilst community activities include, Skylight, Climbing, Boxing, Barge Trips and many more!
The majority of the adults that join us tend to be school leavers looking for their next step as they turn 18, usually the school they are attending will refer them to a social worker team who will signpost them to local Day Services or they may spot Next Step at Ravenscliffes annual transition event. Should Next Step be considered an option for them, we advise prospective Next Steppers to visit all of our centres and to have a chat with our Operations Manager regarding their needs, likes and dislikes and any diagnosis which will help determine if we are the right fit for them. If they were interested in attending we would have a more in depth chat and they would be given an information pack which should they choose to join us, would lead to forming a needs assessment.
Once the decision is made to join Next Step, the Social worker team would liaise with any other relevant professionals and they would go to panel for funding, once funding is approved we can then organise a transition/support plan.
In order to meet our objective to have happier Next Steppers, we must provide a service that is centred around them. As such, prior to Next Steppers joining us, we have a Transition period, this can vary depending on the individual. Our Day Service Coordinator leads the process from here and allocates a Lead Support Worker and a team of experienced support workers to meet and get to know our new Next Stepper. We often liaise with school to shadow in an environment that the student knows with people that are familiar to them, we collect information from teaching staff and those that know them well. Training can be provided to our team dependent on the needs of the Next Stepper this could be SALT, nutricia, epilepsy etc. We look at communication aids to ensure consistency throughout transition and for when they join us. It may be that the individual joins us for a couple of days a week initially, increasing with time whilst they get to know our staff and vice versa.
Transition usually occurs throughout the last few months of high school, they then usually join NST after the end of term, depending on our staffing availability. This process is adaptable depending on the individuals needs, more recently, individuals have joined us once they reach adult services at 18 and prior to this, transition has been done via our Respite Provision.
For those that aren’t transitioning directly from school, they would need to get in touch and would be allocated a social worker to help them throughout the process and to ensure funding is in place for them to join us here at Next Step.
If you are interested in attending our Day Service, please get in touch with Helen, our Operations Manager on 01422 330938.
Emrys – Support Worker
“Shortly after completing my apprenticeship I was given the honour and responsibility of supporting a very new Next Stepper who was joining us from Ravenscliffe. Spending time with this young lady has allowed me along with the support of the Leads to contribute to the creation of her Personal Care Plan, a skill that I didn’t think I had before. I look forward to supporting Sabah in a wide range of activities as she settles into the centre”.
Sharon – Parent of a Next Stepper
“We as a family are extremely grateful for the way your staff at Clay House helped us. Every transition for A.J in the past has been extremely stressful and we were all dreading the time he would have to leave Ravenscliffe. But Barry and his team were fantastic. Listening to our concerns and taking all cues from A.J. The transition was a complete success and we are all grateful for the teams ongoing support. We have seen a big increase in A.J’s confidence and speech and he looks forward to every day at Next Step Trust.
A big thank you to everyone involved”.
We are open
9am-4pm Monday to Friday
The Day Service currently operates from four sites with the King Cross Site soon to host our very own Hydrotherapy Pool.
The day service is there to support individuals to access activities both in-house and in the community and to provide support to ensure their physical, social and mental well being. Please click on the button below to get a feel for what is possible for you to get involved in.