New children’s home opens in Cornwall to support young people with disabilities
A new children’s home nestled in serene woodland near Bodmin has opened its doors to support young people with disabilities.
Cardinham Barns provides a safe and nurturing environment for children with complex needs who are said to be ‘in crisis’.
This could be down to issues at home, mental health difficulties, a traumatic event or other reasons.
Boasting a games room, cosy living room, modern kitchen and spacious bedrooms, the home can provide support and accommodation for up to 12 months.
After this, expert, trauma-informed staff will help the young person to return home, or if that is not possible, to live with a foster family or, in some cases, at a children’s home.
The home also offers an outreach programme to help prevent children needing to come into residential care by supporting the development of communication, independent living skills and healthy sleep habits within their family home.
Whilst Cardinham Barns is now up and running, the team are looking to recruit more Crisis Residential and Outreach Workers so they can support more children.
An open day is being held on-site on Tuesday, September 9, at 11am, and anyone wishing to attend and find out more about the roles on offer should contact cardinham.barns@cornwall.gov.uk
Cllr Hilary Frank, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Schools, said:
“We are delighted that Cardinham Barns is now open and I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has made it a reality.
“As a local authority, we have a responsibility to provide a safe, supportive and loving environment for children and young people in crisis, to give them stability and help them begin to build a bright future.
“We are now looking for more staff to join the team and I would encourage anyone with experience who wants to make a real difference to children’s lives to come along to our open event.”
Cllr Leigh Frost, Leader of Cornwall Council and local member for Bodmin St Petroc, said:
“I was blown away when I visited Cardinham Barns last week, it’s an incredible facility. We have a lot of young people who are in crisis so the support this home offers is much needed.
“It’s not just a legal duty, we have a moral duty to our children and young people to give them the best start in life and it doesn’t matter what their background is, if they need that help up we’re here to help and support them. That’s our job and that’s why places like this are so important.”
The setting has space for the children to be actively involved in outdoor pursuits, with support, which is helpful for those who have experienced trauma.
It is also very tranquil, which will be of benefit to young people with autism in particular as they seek to develop communication and independent living skills.
Matt Pearce, Home Manager at Cardinham Barns, said:
“To do this job you need to genuinely care and you need a genuine passion for changing children’s lives, because that’s what we’re here to do.
“The children here are going to be with us because they’re in crisis, something isn’t going well for them, and that’s going to be a difficult process for the child and there’s going to be things that challenge the adults who are caring for them too. But that’s why we do the job – to make a crucial difference in these young people’s lives.”
Beth Hawke, Crisis Residential and Outreach Worker at Cardinham Barns, said:
“The best part of the job for me is working with the kids, 100 per cent. Even if it’s a short space of time that you’re with them it’s watching them develop. We had a young lad in recently and the amount of confidence he built, the smiles, the energy, was wonderful to see.
“It’s also about the team. You definitely develop a very close-knit team, obviously in the sense of your professional relationships, but it also does feel like a little family here and that’s a nice feeling.”
Sarah Starr, also a Crisis Residential and Outreach Worker, added:
“I agree. It can be challenging, it can be exhausting, it can be frustrating, but those moments when you first gain that trust, when they first hold your hand, when you see that you’re making that difference, when you see that breakthrough, that’s what’s most important.”
The council has three other registered children’s homes in Cornwall. One is for residential short breaks, and two are for residential long-term care.
