Atkinson has been awarded funding by DFE to support the STAIRS project.

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NHS England is currently funding the development and implementation of SECURE STAIRS, an integrated framework of care for the Secure Estate for Children and Young People. This work is part of overall work to transform the mental health of children and young people over the next five years, as outlined in the NHS England Five Year Forward View for Mental Health Implementation Plan, published in July 2016.

The aim of SECURE STAIRS is to support secure settings to reach the same standards in terms of the key foundations needed to be effective units, and the care pathways they have for the children in their care.  The fundamental principle of the framework is that the environment and the relationships within it (rather than specialist in-reach services) are the primary agents of change for young people within secure settings. The maintenance of a therapeutic environment within the setting is the foundation for any work with the child to be effective.

For Atkinson, this will mean additional psychology time for our young people and we will be working with the National STAIRS team to embed this practice across the home.