Chailey Heritage School

In response to rising demand Chailey Heritage has extended its services to provide a new transition service for young adults aged 19-25 years. 

This new service is called Futures@ChaileyHeritage

In recent years the school has identified a national shortage of services to support young disabled adults through the transition years of 19-25 years, particularly those with profound complex physical and health needs.  When some of these young people leave school they are often not ready to move directly in to a long term adult placement such as a care home where they could remain for the rest of their lives. Some young people leave school early to go to adult provision because their parents are concerned that if they do not take up a place when it is offered it may not be available later. 

The new transition service at Chailey Heritage has been developed in response. It is designed to help disabled young people further develop their personal life skills. These skills will equip them to lead a more fulfilled life in the future and enable them, with support, to direct how they want to live their lives. The service will also help the young people find a suitable permanent placement and, where possible, supported living placements.  

Over the next few years Chailey Heritage is undertaking a major fundraising initiative to construct a dedicated building on the school site for the 19-25 age group. In the meantime, in order to meet current high demand for the new service, young people, aged 19 and over, can live with their peer group in our current bungalows which are fully adapted to meet their individual needs. The bungalows are led by a Registered Children’s Home Manager, supported by Residential House Managers, who lead and manage a highly-trained staff providing 24 hour care together with NHS nursing staff. Through a multi-disciplinary team approach the 19-25 transition service at Chailey Heritage provides the young people with a person centred provision to develop their self esteem, independence, dignity and maturity. 

Chailey Heritage School shares its location with Chailey Heritage Clinical Services (CHCS). This is a specialist NHS clinical team and part of the Sussex Community NHS Trust. Available resources, which would need to be funded by the PCT, include specialist medical consultants, nurses, speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and rehabilitation engineers who can oversee medical and therapeutic needs.

Programme of Daily Activities

The young people work in partnership with their carers and activities coordinator on their own daily activity programme that has been tailored to their individual needs and choices. This activity programme can include:

•     skills for living

•     vocational training and work experience opportunities

•     information and communication technology

•     recreational and leisure pursuits

•     arts and media

•     transitional planning for the next stage of their life

•     self advocacy skills

•     communication skills 

•     social inclusion: enabling our young people to access opportunities and resources in the wider community

Coming early 2013: New Life Skills Centre 

We are about to place the first bricks in the total refurbishment of a listed building on our site to provide state of the art facilities for disabled people. This day provision will be available not only to our residents but will also be opened up to disabled people in the community who can choose which facilities they want to use. The new Life Skills Centre will have:

• a specially-equipped gym

• a cafe

• an ICT suite

• a sauna and jacuzzi

We will be able to offer a wide range of life skills as well as 52 week residential care, supported living, short breaks and access to therapy sessions.  We anticipate opening Grace Kimmins House in early 2013.  You can find out more, sign up to our regular e-newsletter (from February 2012) by contacting:

Ms Jo Elvidge, Administrator

Tel: 01825 724444 ext 307 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it