Young peoples' needs lie at the heart of everything we do. We have experience of providing specialist care for children whose lives have been impacted by trauma. Our approach is informed by that experience; our desire to be innovative; a need for consistency and a recognition of the need for maintaining strong and relational links with all key agencies. The following outlines key fundamentals to our approach.
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Children's Rights
The Promise
Harmeny are fully supportive of the findings of the Independent Care Review and to contributing to The Promise’s ambition for “all children to grow up loved, safe and respected so that they realise their full potential”.
Our pledge to #KeepThePromise includes a range of ambitious aims; enabling younger children to understand the key messages from the Care Review using the Pinky Promise, which is designed for their age and stage; ensuring our strategic, care and school plans are aligned to the values of The Promise; continuing to endeavour to drive down physical interventions; developing continuing care and learning services; a commitment to placing, connecting or reuniting siblings and appropriate family members where we can.
We also aim to increasing the diversity of our Board of Trustees to include care experienced people, and use their informed voice to shape our services.
Rights and Participation
Harmeny is highly committed to advocating for the rights of children and young people in our care, placing children at the heart of all that we do. Where appropriate, we also endeavour to ensure parents and carers feel welcome and involved in their children’s care and education.
Our work on rights and participation means that children and young people can better understand their rights in line with the UNCRC and other legislation. We seek children’s views about their care and education and encourage participation in the local and wider community. Our Rights Respecting School Group enables children to lead on whole school initiatives and contributes to shaping our services.
We use a variety of methods to involve children in their care planning and review, such as ‘Having Your Say’ and ‘What Helps Me’ forms, Personal Learning Plans and creative arts meaning that we can better advocate for their views at meetings and Hearings. Children are encouraged to participate in local and national consultations. This works alongside the independent advocacy provided by Who Cares? Scotland, allowing children the opportunity to regularly meet with an external worker to speak confidentially about their care, education or family life. In addition our Pupil Council and cottage meetings allow the views of children across the whole school community to be expressed.
The Harmeny Way
At Harmeny, we have developed our own practice framework, known as The Harmeny Way. This model represents a unique combination of carefully considered therapeutic approaches, which have been developed and built on over time, and which are used to support each child’s journey from placement through to transition.
The Harmeny Way is made up of six key strands which together form our therapeutic approach; Shared Harmeny Ethos; Creative and Supportive Environment; Relational Care and Education; Resilience Framework; Core Theories and Approaches; The Reflective Team.
No strand is more or less important than the other and are all interconnected, combining to help us reach our shared purpose: to provide therapeutic care and education which helps children overcome trauma and adversity, discover the joy of learning and lead happy, fulfilling lives.
At the heart of the framework is a relational approach, with our care and education staff working in the life space, drawing on a range of theories and approaches to support children and young people make progress and reach their potential.
The core theories and knowledge base which inform our practice include: Attachment; Grief and Loss; Neurobiology; Psychodynamic Theory; Trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs); and Child Development in addition to a range of evidence informed approaches.
The Harmeny Way is holistic and individualistic, demonstrating our concern with the all-round development of each child or young person and our firm belief that no one size fits all.
School Curriculum
We pride ourselves in creating a nurturing, supportive and encouraging learning environment. Our approach to learning is not based on the premise of one size fits all, but rather is individualised, holistic, relational and experiential.
Our skilled and experienced education staff provide high quality teaching and learning opportunities that build on the strengths and interests of children and young people. The curriculum follows the principles of the Curriculum for Excellence. It is designed around contemporary themes and delivered through experiential learning activities with the aim to motivate, inspire and build curiosity.
The school is situated within a wonderful 35 acre woodland estate and is well equipped with an impressive range of modern teaching resources. This setting, along with the high quality teaching allows children and young people to access all areas of the Curriculum for Excellence, and showcase that they are successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens, and effective contributors.
Junior Phase:
For learners in P1-S3, an exciting, contemporary themed curriculum aligned to Curriculum for Excellence Broad General Education is delivered by skilled teaching staff, complemented by a wide range of wider achievement opportunities.
Senior Phase:
Young people in the senior phase (S4-6) are offered a bespoke programme that is centred around enterprise and employability. Accreditation through SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority), ASDAN (Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network) and Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, so that leavers have a portfolio of recognisable awards. We work in partnership with local schools, colleges, businesses and the third sector, so that children and young people have every available opportunity to broaden their experiences and build in self-confidence.
At every stage of their Harmeny education, children and young people can access any individual support such as play therapy, art therapy and additional outdoor activities to meet their particular needs.
Outdoor Learning
Our incredible estate is the ideal environment for therapeutic outdoor learning and provides a range of imaginative learning spaces.
Our location, at the foot of the Pentlands, allows for a unique outdoor learning resource, our grounds include: a mature woodland, pond, wildflower meadow, allotment, bird hide, mountain bike and go kart track, adventure playground, skate park, sports pitch and a wide range of outdoor play equipment.
Our aim is to help children make choices about positive, active lifestyles through guided discovery. By the time children and young people leave Harmeny, they will have experienced a wide variety of outdoor activities. These will have improved their physical and emotional wellbeing, grown their confidence, increased their awareness of the environment and helped them to gain new skills and interests, which we hope will last them a lifetime.
Working with Families
At Harmeny we take great pride in including families in their children's care and education, supporting time with parents, siblings, other family members, carers, and existing friendships in line with agreed arrangements.
Where it is appropriate, we aim to support and sustain the connections between siblings and other family, as well as carers from previous care placements.
At Harmeny we have a family centre on our estate, which is a space dedicated to visits between young people and their loved ones. It is equipped with a living space and kitchen, and feels like a natural home environment.
We also run a parents and carers group, known as the Friends and Family Group, which brings together adults that have children placed at Harmeny. This group is run by our staff and is a space for discussion, advice and understanding. This group is run by a parent advocate and Harmeny staff and is a space for discussion, peer advice and support.
Read more about how we work with parents and carers.
Transitions
For young people who have experienced adversity and ongoing disruption in their young lives transitions, big or small, can be daunting.
Transitioning to Harmeny
Our Assessment and Planning Workers are a dedicated team that aim to make this transition as easy and smooth as possible for those just joining us. Over the course of fifteen weeks, each young person is assessed and supported as they integrate into the Harmeny community. Communicating with key professionals is a priority and we provide regular updates to key professionals on children and young people’s progress.
We believe each transition experience a child or young person has within Harmeny will influence the success of future transitions. Annual classroom moves are planned well in advance, with children introduced to their new class team before the summer holidays. School break times, holidays, and the start and finish of leisure activities are also carefully planned.
We help children develop life-work skills as they grow with us, engaging them in household tasks, cooking, budgeting, hobbies/interests, and joining clubs. Children are supported to attend a local mainstream school when ready, and our ‘Moving On Up’ ceremony marks an important transition from primary to secondary school. Our continuing care and learning services now enable young people already placed at Harmeny to stay up to the age of 18.
Moving On from Harmeny
Over the years, we have developed a best practice model for preparing young people for moving on from the school, tailoring support to the individual child or young person’s needs. Their view is constantly sought in relation to their next destination and ways they would like to stay in touch with us. This is done in partnership with key professionals, including a Who Cares? Scotland worker providing an advocacy role.
Our therapeutic approach recognises that relationships do not have to end the day a young person leaves Harmeny, and careful planning takes place with the local authority around ongoing contact, as appropriate. Opportunity is provided for young people to keep in touch with, and visit, Harmeny, allowing them to reconnect with young people and adults in their care and class groups.
Planning for the young person’s transition commences at the earliest opportunity, in partnership with key agencies. Our Harmeny Here4U Project Worker offers advice and guidance for Key Workers to help the young person explore the thoughts and feelings that may be evoked by moving on. One of the many elements of our transitions approach includes a Transition Pack, with a range of in-depth assessments and reports prepared and shared with the young person’s next placement, to further strengthen the transition.
Former Pupils
Our Harmeny Here4U Project Worker provides dedicated support, alongside the Care team, to support young people with their transition from Harmeny to their next positive destination, and help them keep in touch beyond their time at the school.
Former pupils, family and staff, are offered the opportunity to stay connected through a safe social media platform, visiting the school and at organised events throughout the year. The project works alongside through-care and after-care teams in local authorities to ensure that our former pupils aged under 26 are accessing the support and services that they are entitled to.
Want to learn more about Here4U? Click below.
Children's Rights
Harmeny are fully supportive of the findings of the Independent Care Review and to contributing to The Promise’s ambition for “all children to grow up loved, safe and respected so that they realise their full potential”.
Our pledge to #KeepThePromise includes a range of ambitious aims; enabling younger children to understand the key messages from the Care Review using the Pinky Promise, which is designed for their age and stage; ensuring our strategic, care and school plans are aligned to the values of The Promise; continuing to endeavour to drive down physical interventions; developing continuing care and learning services; a commitment to placing, connecting or reuniting siblings and appropriate family members where we can.
We also aim to increasing the diversity of our Board of Trustees to include care experienced people, and use their informed voice to shape our services.
Rights and Participation
Harmeny is highly committed to advocating for the rights of children and young people in our care, placing children at the heart of all that we do. Where appropriate, we also endeavour to ensure parents and carers feel welcome and involved in their children’s care and education.
Our work on rights and participation means that children and young people can better understand their rights in line with the UNCRC and other legislation. We seek children’s views about their care and education and encourage participation in the local and wider community. Our Rights Respecting School Group enables children to lead on whole school initiatives and contributes to shaping our services.
We use a variety of methods to involve children in their care planning and review, such as ‘Having Your Say’ and ‘What Helps Me’ forms, Personal Learning Plans and creative arts meaning that we can better advocate for their views at meetings and Hearings. Children are encouraged to participate in local and national consultations. This works alongside the independent advocacy provided by Who Cares? Scotland, allowing children the opportunity to regularly meet with an external worker to speak confidentially about their care, education or family life. In addition our Pupil Council and cottage meetings allow the views of children across the whole school community to be expressed.
School Curriculum
We pride ourselves in creating a nurturing, supportive and encouraging learning environment. Our approach to learning is not based on the premise of one size fits all, but rather is individualised, holistic, relational and experiential.
The school is situated within a wonderful 35 acre woodland estate and is well equipped with an impressive range of modern teaching resources. This setting, along with the high quality teaching allows children and young people to access all areas of the Curriculum for Excellence, and showcase that they are successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens, and effective contributors.
Broad General Education:
For learners in P1-S3, an exciting, contemporary themed curriculum aligned to Curriculum for Excellence Broad General Education is delivered by skilled teaching staff, complemented by a wide range of wider achievement opportunities.
Senior Phase:
Young people in the senior phase (S4-6) are offered a bespoke programme that is centred around enterprise and employability. Accreditation through SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority), ASDAN (Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network) and Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, so that leavers have a portfolio of recognisable awards. We work in partnership with local schools, colleges, businesses and the third sector, so that children and young people have every available opportunity to broaden their experiences and build in self-confidence.
At every stage of their Harmeny education, children and young people can access any individual support such as play therapy, art therapy and additional outdoor activities to meet their particular needs.
Outdoor Learning
Our incredible estate is the ideal environment for therapeutic outdoor learning and provides a range of imaginative learning spaces. Our location, at the foot of the Pentlands, allows for a unique outdoor learning resource. Our grounds include: a mature woodland, pond, wildflower meadow, community garden, bird hide, adventure playground, skate park, and a wide range of outdoor play equipment.
Our aim is to help children make choices about positive, active lifestyles through guided discovery. By the time children and young people leave Harmeny, they will have experienced a wide variety of outdoor activities. These will have improved their physical and emotional wellbeing, grown their confidence, increased their awareness of the environment and helped them to gain new skills and interests, which we hope will last them a lifetime.
