Mornings at Maple House begin slowly during half term.
Today, there’s no rush to get ready for school, and everyone is enjoying the luxury of a lie-in. Like any home with teenagers, the day will begin in their own time.
Maple House is one of the onsite Children’s Homes at MacIntyre School, and home to five young people – two girls and three boys – each with their own personalities, interests, and ways of communicating. Some use words, others sign, gestures, or sounds, but everyone has their own voice, and the team know how to listen and the young people feel understood.
Each young person at Maple House starts their day differently, and the staff team follow their lead, supporting each young person in ways that fit them.
Some prefer quiet time in their rooms, others like to be out and about early.
Downstairs, Billy* is already up. He heads into the kitchen, and makes himself a cup of tea, following the routine he knows by heart. As he prepares his breakfast, he chats with Elias, sitting nearby. Billy may use words to communicate while Elias uses sounds and signs, but their conversation works for them.
Elias enjoys peace and quiet and takes the opportunity to explore the school while others are away. He heads to the ball pool, then to his classroom finding a spot to make himself comfortable in. Later, he might visit the immersive room, one of his favourite places, where he can experience the feeling of rollercoasters or travelling on London buses, something he’s always loved.
Back at the house, Billy chats with the team about his weekend at home with his dog. The regular visits home during the holidays are important as they give him a bit of continuity, structure to his routine, and something to look forward to.
Elsewhere, Georgia is heading out to hunt some bargains at the charity shop. When not searching for the perfect accessories to go with her outfit, she loves nothing more than getting the bus to the cinema, or a trip to the park.
Having the choice, and the freedom to make them, is part of everyday life here; there’s no single schedule that fits everyone.
Instead, link worker sessions help each young person shape their own week. These are one-to-one conversations with the people who know them best, where they can choose meals, plan activities, and work towards life skills that matter to them. Some write their choices down. Others use pictures or signs. However they communicate, their views are listened to.
By midday, plans are beginning to take shape.
Later, Elias will head out swimming, something he absolutely loves. Water gives him freedom to move, explore, and just enjoy himself. Others might spend time listening to music, relaxing, or watching a bit of TV, or doing a bit of online shopping in one of the activity rooms.
Across the day, around seven or eight staff are on hand, with waking night staff supporting overnight, and colleagues moving between homes when needed. It’s a close-knit team, working together to make sure each young person feels safe, understood, and supported.
The team know that every young person is different, and that growth happens in its own time, usually in quieter ways, whether that’s a young person feeling comfortable in a new routine, or a trip out somewhere that once felt overwhelming, or even a young person having the confidence in making a decision for themselves.
Speaking with Millie, the team lead at Maple House, she says:
Looking back through the progress that all the young people make every day, you might not necessarily notice it at first. But you look back at the pictures, at their scrapbooks, at their life stories, and you think, ‘Wow, when this young person came here, they were quite closed off, and now they’re going to school, and making friends.’ It's those tiny changes on a day-to-day basis that you don't really notice have the biggest impact.
Some young people are preparing for their next steps into adulthood, with plans to move on and continue building their independence. Others are earlier in their journey, still discovering what makes them feel safe, happy, and at home.
And tomorrow, it will begin all over again.
*Names changed
