The Orchard

• Age Range: 6-11 on admission
• Capacity: Up to 3
• Gender: Male and female
• Length of stay: Medium to long
• Location: Somerset

The Orchard provides care to children aged 6-11 who have experienced trauma, abuse, and neglect. Providing Attachment and Trauma-Informed Care, which combines care, education, and therapy, in a bespoke package, tailored to meet the needs of the children.

The Orchard is a detached house set in beautiful surroundings on the Somerset Levels. The home is surrounded mostly by fields of cows and sheep, and has a big garden allowing adults and children the opportunity to choose to play, have fun, eat, and socialise all year round. The Orchard offers a vast range of on and off-site activities that develops social skills, and alongside role modelling, supports children to develop socially acceptable behaviours.

The home provides children with an environment in which they can feel safe and loved. Staff can recognise the difficulties that children and young people can experience when considering the current impact of early life trauma, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and disrupted attachments. It works in a therapeutic manner, incorporating psychoeducation and milieu (planned environment) therapy.

Staff work alongside the Head of Clinical Services, and our in-house Psychologist to develop integrated care and treatment plans alongside providing therapeutic interventions such as therapeutic parenting and play-based interventions. The home also offers intensive support in matching and transitional work at the end of the child’s placement to enable the child to maintain a ‘forever family’ long term placement.

Adults at The Orchard pride themselves on attention to detail, shown in small, homely, and meaningful touches that make a house, a home. They are committed to ensuring that when it is time to leave The Orchard, children will do so knowing that no matter where the world takes them, they will always be loved.

“The interactions between the adults and children were warm and nurturing and it was clear to see the positive relationship the children have with those looking after them. There has been significant improvements within the home both internally and externally. The home looked ‘homely’, and the bedrooms were personalised.” – Regulation 44 inspector (April 2021)

Outcomes for children at The Orchard include:

• Preparation for independence
• A return home
• Return to a previous placement
• Foster care
• Transition to mainstream school.
• Working towards full-time education within a mainstream school.