Page 31 - SEN107 SEN Magazine July-August 2020

senmagazine.co.uk SEN 107 31 Autism Lockdown life with amazing young people and amazing staff One thing that we can all agree on over the past few months is that it has been far from the norm during the Covid-19 pandemic and when you are supporting people with autism, learning disabilities and complex needs that brings with it a whole new set of challenges. Here at Hesley Group, we believe we have risen to those challenges. We have been amazed by the resilience of the young people we support and the dedication and innovation of the staff that support them. Back in March, plans were put in place early on to ensure that safety was paramount for both our young people and staff. Visits were put on hold, PPE was sourced, social distancing measures put in place and meetings took on a whole new format via fast emerging technologies. So many things were achieved in a short space of time but what we couldn’t be sure of was how all of these sudden changes would affect the young people in our care. What we did know was that we would be there for them, supporting them every step of the way. Staff quickly took it upon themselves to become even more creative. Suggestions and ideas were plentiful and provided many opportunities for both routines to be kept, with slight adaptations, and new experiences to be explored. Across both schools and children’s homes we’ve seen beautiful artwork creations taking the form of chalked walls, thank you banners and posters. Exercise has also been a key feature including taking part in the Joe Wicks PE sessions, a cycle challenge, outdoor walks, sporting activities, waterplay and playground fun. One of the most successful activities has to have been the ‘Treasure Hunts With A Difference’ which were designed around young people’s interests and led to many who have not previously wished to take part to becoming thoroughly engaged and involved. Together during lockdown we’ve celebrated birthdays, Easter, the VE Day 75th Anniversary, Bank Holidays and many more milestones but at the same time we’ve witnessed so much wonderful community spirit from within our local communities and beyond including the weekly clapping for frontline keyworkers and deliveries of care packages from friends, families and colleagues to keep up our spirits. We are so proud of the fantastic way that the young individuals we support have coped with the many new challenges and changes to their routines and our staff have embraced the situation and continued to go above and beyond from day one; when the going got tough, the tough got going and they kept the smiles on everyone’s faces. We wholeheartedly agree with the many parents who have now nicknamed them the Hesley Heroes, a name they truly deserve. Life is still far from the norm for us all but here at Hesley we’ve worked hard to ensure that everyone has been, and will continue to stay as safe as possible, has access to the things they need, keeps in contact with families, friends and colleagues and above all has fun! You can see all of the amazing things we’ve done and continue to do by following us on social media, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. You can also find out more about the fantastic work we do within our children & young people’s services by visiting our website at hesleygroup.co.uk . Calls regarding referrals can still be made via our freephone number 0800 055 6789 . promotional content