Place For Me
Our Place for Me group programme is for children aged 5 to 11 who have been impacted by domestic abuse, are in vulnerable situations, have unhealthy attitudes or beliefs about themselves or others, or have poor self-esteem. The programme supports young people to be safe, gain confidence and self-worth, increase their emotional literacy and build positive relationships which will lead to an increase in aspirations.
The programme has been designed to be interactive, inclusive and educational. In Place for Me, young people will cover emotional wellbeing, healthy relationships, gender stereotypes, positive communication, staying safe and support networks.
“I loved the group because it helped me calm down and they were lovely”
Who is Place for Me for?
Place for Me is for boys and girls aged 5-11, who live in Canterbury, Ashford and Folkestone & Hythe, and have experienced domestic abuse, have unhealthy attitudes or beliefs about themselves or others, or are at risk of entering unhealthy relationships or Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE).
The programme supports young people to be safe, gain confidence and self-worth, increase emotional literacy and to build positive relationships which will lead to an increase in aspirations. Through weekly sessions, young people will discuss topics such as emotional wellbeing, healthy relationships, gender stereotypes, positive communication, staying safe and support networks.
The facilitators will create a safe and trusting space for young people to speak openly and honestly about their thoughts and experiences on the topics in an age-appropriate manner. These conversations will help young people learn about themselves and gain confidence to recognise unhealthy behaviours and enjoy healthy relationships. The group peer support is also invaluable, with young people able to bond with others that have has similar experiences.
Everyone’s experiences and trauma are individual, and we support everyone based on the personalised support that they need.
When and where is Place for Me run?
Place for Me is an 8 week programme of support delivered in schools across Canterbury, Ashford and Folkestone & Hythe.
The programme is made up of weekly 1 hour group sessions, hosted by Outreach Workers, with approximately 8 children in each group.
We have strong relationships with many schools across Canterbury, Ashford and Folkestone & Hythe, working closely with their safeguarding teams to create a safe and secure place for group sessions to take place.
What will children gain from Place for Me?
Place for Me aims to help young people develop healthy relationships with themselves and their peers, whilst developing confidence and self-esteem. It does this through:
- Giving space and permission to talk about challenging topics and personal experiences with peers and facilitators – breaking down the stigma and secrecy of these topics.
- Offering the context and language to young people’s experiences and thoughts, through psychoeducational support around healthy relationships, trauma and emotional regulations.
- Building a trusted relationship with a professional adult and identifying a support network for young people to share their thoughts and feelings with.
- Showing that they have a choice, and that their voice is important and worthy to be listened to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Place for Me, our group programme for children aged 5-11, takes place in schools in Canterbury, Ashford and Folkestone & Hythe.
We are partnered with a number of schools across the districts and work closely with their safeguarding teams.
If a young person fits the following criteria, they can be referred onto Place for Me by a school professional.
- Are aged 5-11
- Have experienced domestic abuse, are at risk of entering unhealthy relationships or have unhealthy attitudes or beliefs about themselves or others.
- Live in Canterbury, Ashford or Folkestone & Hythe
- Doesn’t live with an identified perpetrator or in a household where their is current domestic abuse
- Legal guardian/safe parent is invested in the support
Once referred into the Place for Me group programme, they will be placed onto a waiting list. Our Children & Young Person’s Manager will call the safe parent, or legal guardian to discuss the information shared in the referral, what is involved with the Place for Me group programme and check that the support is suitable for the family. If suitable, the young person will be placed into an upcoming group.
We cannot accept referrals where the young person lives with an identified perpetrator, has more than 50/50 contact or there is current domestic abuse in the household.
Rising Sun has a Safeguarding Policy in place for working with children and young people which each of our facilitators follows. Our highly-trained facilitators are experienced at recognising, recording and reporting safeguarding concerns through the appropriate channels. If a safeguarding concern should arise, a member of staff will inform the school safeguarding team, parent and a Rising Sun designated safeguarding lead immediately.
The Children and Young Person Manager, will contact each parent to inform them of the content of the group and the delivery of the topics and to gain consent for their child to attend the programme of support.
If you’re a school in Canterbury, Ashford or Folkestone & Hythe and would like to speak to us about partnering with us to deliver our Place for Me programme please get in touch!
No, Place for Me groups only take place during school term-time. However, we do host activity days during school holidays to continue providing light-touch support to the children that we have supported throughout the year, or children who are about to start a Place for Me group in the upcoming term. Children will be invited to activity days by their key workers.