Here at Daisy Chain, we offer a variety of bespoke personal development and therapeutic packages for children and young people affected by ASD. Our placements run during term time only and are available to students who are within an educational environment.
Who is eligible?
- Students must have a diagnosis of autism or be undergoing diagnosis
- Students must be registered with an educational establishment (e.g. primary school, secondary school, college)
Please note, this is not an alternative education provision, it is a placement to support the student’s education.
Please feel free to enquire if you have a student who falls outside this eligibility criteria.
How are the sessions organised?
We provide the opportunity for students to work either:
- as part of a small group
- on a one-to-one basis (subject to availability)
Students can attend Daisy Chain for the following sessions:
- Morning (9.30am – 12pm)
- Afternoon (1pm – 3pm)
- Full Day (9.30am – 3pm)
If students attend for a full day, they have the option to bring their own packed lunch or to prepare a simple lunch using the Daisy Chain kitchen facilities.
It is possible for students to attend more than one session over a week, although this is subject to staffing and availability.
What support can students access?
The details of the variety of support options that are open to students are as follows. Please note, it is possible to combine different support options to create a bespoke package to suit individual needs.
Personal Development Group
A specific approach to enhance engagement and communication. Beneficial to students who struggle to access full time education. These sessions are planned to allow students to develop through physical activity/movement, exploring and engaging within the natural environment encouraging curiosity and an intrinsic desire to learn and discover.
Sessions are planned and evaluated/assessed on a weekly basis.
Bespoke Therapeutic Packages
We can develop packages for students who require one-to-one support based around their own individual and personal needs. Sessions are planned using physical activity/movement to develop intrinsic motivation. Specific Therapeutic talking time is also included, which could include:
- Understanding Autism
- Emotional Regulation – 5 Point Scale
- Living Skills & Self Care
- Relationships
This can be developed through consultation with parents/carers, school/college staff and the students themselves.
Nisai
We can accommodate students so that they can access online learning through Nisai.
We can provide a staff member to sit with and support the student whilst they complete the online learning (this staff member will be there to facilitate the session and manage student anxiety, but not to deliver or extend any academic learning).
Animal Care Qualifications
We offer accredited qualifications in:
- Practical Farm Animal Care Skills
- Practical Small Animal Care Skills
These qualifications are run with the use of our well-equipped farm and barn which houses a variety of animals including pigs, alpacas, ducks, guinea pigs, ponies, lizards and much more.
Relaxed Outdoor Curriculum
- Woodwork
- Gardening
- Animal Care
- Forest School Activities
Room Hire Only
Schools/colleges can book out a room at Daisy Chain for a student to access on a regular basis.
This room may be used for a student to complete therapeutic or educational work (e.g. working with a tutor to complete maths lessons).
It is the responsibility of the school/college to source a professional to work with the student and to organise and monitor the learning that is undertaken
Daisy Chain staff will not be involved in the planning or delivery of this
learning.
Staff Training and Experience
All our staff who work with students:
- have an understanding of autism and are experienced at working with and supporting children and young people who are on the spectrum
- are trained in Safeguarding (please ask if you wish to see a copy of our Safeguarding Policy)
- are DBS checked
In addition to this, our staff also have a range of qualifications and experience, including:
- Understanding Autism level 3 and 4
- Team Teach
- Early Years and childcare
- Teaching
The role of Daisy Chain
We can:
- provide a bespoke package for each student which is designed to suit their own individual needs
- provide the tools, equipment and resources necessary to deliver the learning activities (e.g. barn equipment and PPE, visual resources,
ingredients for cooking, etc.) - provide sessions that are flexible and responsive to the students’ needs
- provide termly reports
- attend meetings at school/college
- provide reports/attend meetings in relation to EHC plans
- liaise closely with the school/college
- ensure that, as much as possible, students work with the same staff member when they attend their sessions (although this will occasionally be affected by staff illness/holidays)
We can’t:
- carry out formal observations
- deliver counselling sessions for students
- provide or arrange transport to and from the sessions
I want to refer a student – what next?
If you wish to refer a student or would like to find out more information about our placements and costings, please contact our Placements team at Daisy Chain on 01642 531248 or e-mail info@daisychainproject.co.uk
We are happy to chat over the phone or arrange a meeting for you to come and have a look around our fantastic site and facilities.
If you are a parent or carer who feels your child would benefit from a placement, please contact your school – we can only accept referrals from educational professionals.