If you would like somebody to contact you to explain more about the safe steps programme of care and how we can work together. Please fill complete the enquiry form below:

Local Authority Customers

Safe Steps: A Partnership that Delivers Value

Safe Steps is an innovative specialist transitional care service developed by  Marlowe Child & Family Services in  partnership with Pathway Care which results in:

1. Superior and measurable outcomes for the young person.
2. Significant financial savings for the Local Authority.

Safe Steps is an intensive programme for young people who have experienced repeat placement disruption.

Safe Steps is designed for any child or young person 8 - 16 years old of either gender that may have had a prolonged history of abuse and trauma and may present with one or more of a range of difficulties*.

They are therefore at risk of being placed in expensive long term residential care, or are already in long term residential care. The value to a child of a stable family placement offering enhanced life chances cannot be underestimated.

The Safe Steps programme consists of carefully designed 3 Steps, each of which takes full account of the needs of the individual young person during their difficult journey to a stable family placement.

*Note - General Exclusions
Any young person for who drug dependency is the sole or primary factor occasioning their referral. Whilst a history of substance misuse is not in itself a reason to exclude admission, The residential facilities do not have the skills or facilities to manage detoxification of a young person who requires prescribed Class A drugs to manage their dependence. This includes registered drug users.
Any young person with a recent history or suspected history of serious arson will require additional and specific assessment.
Any young person who has a recent history of serious violent behaviour towards others will require an additional specific assessment.
Predatory sexualised behaviour and/or predatory sexualised offending.
Note; Failure to disclose information may lead to immediate termination of placement

Step 1 - Safe Steps Residential Unit

A residential placement with Marlowe Child & Family Services of 13 (max 26) weeks. This is a period of assessment (see Appendix 1), planning, psychological and therapeutic intervention and an introduction to the Safe Steps foster carer.

Included in Step 1:

Residential element
Psychological assessment with report (see Appendix 1)
Note psychiatric assessment can be arranged at additional cost.
Weekly clinical input
Evaluation of behaviour and a behaviour management plan
Reports, weekly updates, telephone contact and monthly review meeting
Education liaison
Hosting and attendance at all LAC reviews and relevant meetings
Day staff at 1: 2 staffing ratio
Waking night staff
Activities and recreation
Pocket money
Clothing allowance
All local travel associated with community activities
Mileage up to 200 miles per week to support social and family contact. (Additional mileage charges apply)
Registration with local G.P. and dentist (private dental/health care will incur additional cost)
Appropriate Adult duties within a radius of 20miles
Foster Placement element
Recruitment, preparation and assessment of foster carers
Matching of foster care skills and young person's assessed needs
Preparation team established to support transition
Structured plan to prepare for transition
Introductions including overnight stay with foster carers.
All foster carer associated mileage costs
Regular review of transition plan with agreed move on date
24 hr on-call service by experienced practitioners with line management support
Consultation with clinical expert

Stepping out of the Programme:

Experience suggests that when a young person requires longer than 26 weeks in residential care this is indicative that the young person may not suitable for the Safe Steps Programme.

Should it become clear during Step 1 that the young person is not likely to succeed in a Safe Steps foster placement, the Local Authority will be immediately notified and provided with a written report enabling alternative care planning. The fees will be adjusted for the remainder of the time at the unit to reflect the changed status of the placement, and elements of the Programme that no longer apply thus ensuring no monies are wasted

The reasons for such a recommendation may include:

Extreme Challenging Behaviour (including serious violence) that requires high levels of professional staff intervention to manage safely.

Highly Specialist Needs (such as serious mental health problems and self-harm) that require high levels of professional staff intervention to manage safely (including regular administration of psychotropic medication).

High Levels of Vulnerability (including repeat absconding) that require high levels of constant supervision to manage safely.

Repeated and Serious Offending (including sexual offences and fire-setting) that might pose a serious risk to the foster placement/local community unless high levels of constant supervision could be provided.

The Young Person themselves are actively opposed to a Family Placement.

Such circumstances are the exception, and the vast majority of children and young people move on successfully to a stable Safe Steps foster placement.

Step 2 - Safe Steps Foster Placement + Intensive Outreach Support

This comprises 26 weeks in a Safe Steps foster placement plus highly intensive outreach support from the Marlowe team ensuring continuity and avoiding any fracturing of relationships.

Included in Step 2:

Safe Steps foster placement
A needs led system of support and supervision for the foster carers which includes a minimum of weekly, liaison, advice and support from an experienced social work practitioner dedicated to the Safe Steps programme
Consultation with clinical expert
Reports, weekly updates, telephone contact and monthly review meetings
Hosting and attendance at all LAC reviews and relevant meetings
Ongoing monitoring of transition progress
Registration with local G.P. and dentist (private dental/health care will incur additional cost)
24 hour on call service by experienced practitioners with line management support
Activities and recreational support
Pocket money
Clothing allowance
General day to day travel including school transport costs up to 140 miles per week
Annual holiday and recreational breaks when appropriate
Appropriate Adult duties within a radius of 20miles
Intensive outreach support
Maximum of 600 hours of support to placement which might include
Integration with peers
Mentoring
Practical support to carers
Support with social activities
Support with education
Weekly therapeutic input
Attendance at monthly meetings to review placement progress and support needs
Attendance at LAC Reviews and other meeting as appropriate
Outreach support mileage up to 200 miles per week (additional mileage charges apply)

Step 3 - Standalone Safe Steps Foster Care Placement

This step comprises 13 weeks in a standalone Safe Steps placement and is a period of consolidation and future planning that is aimed at assessing the young person's progress in managing their own behaviour and environment. It is critical to informing longer term planning post the Safe Steps programme.

Included in Step 3:

Safe Steps foster placement
A needs led system of support and supervision for the foster carers which includes a minimum of weekly, liaison, advice and support from an experienced social work practitioner dedicated to the Safe Steps programme
Reports, weekly updates, telephone contact and monthly review meetings
Hosting and attendance at all LAC reviews and relevant meetings
Ongoing monitoring of transition progress
Consultation with clinical expert
Registration with local G.P and dentist (private dental/health care will incur additional cost)
24 hour on call service by experienced practitioners with line management support
Activities and recreational support
Pocket money
Clothing allowance
General day to day travel including school transport costs up to 140 miles per week
Annual holiday and recreational breaks when appropriate
Appropriate Adult duties within a radius of 20miles
Outreach Support
Attendance at monthly meetings to review placement progress and support needs
Attendance at LAC Reviews and other meeting as appropriate
Continued liaison and input into the team approach
Weekly therapeutic input

Step into a Better Future

At the end of the Safe Steps programme, the young person has enhanced life chances and the Local Authority has, post-Safe Steps, a choice of cost effective care options open to them compared to the cost of long term residential care.