A space to be yourself
Culture, religion and identity are respected, with opportunities to share celebrations and connect with the wider community.
YOUNG PEOPLE. POSSIBILITIES. PATHWAYS.
A place to belong.
A future to believe in.
Safe, nurturing homes where children and young people can feel valued, build confidence and find their own way forward.
Rooted in compassion. Built on relationships.
Safety & stability✳Trusted relationships✳A voice that matters✳Room to grow
WHO WE ARE
Care begins with
feeling understood.
Young Pathways CIC provides out-of-home placements for children and young people in care. We create welcoming environments that respect each person’s story, culture, strengths and needs.
As a Community Interest Company, our purpose is social: reinvesting in our homes, support and opportunities for care-experienced young people.
The values that guide us ↓OUR HOMES
Everyday moments.
Meaningful beginnings.
A home is shaped by the people who live there. We support young people to make it their own, from shared meals to the decisions that shape daily life.
A say in everyday life
Young people help shape their surroundings, food, activities and routines. Their ideas and choices matter.
Support for the next step
Whether moving towards family, foster care or greater independence, we plan transitions with care and attention.
We support young people to access health services that meet their physical and emotional needs.
OUR APPROACH & LEARNING
Connection first.
Growth follows.
Good care starts with understanding. These four approaches help explain how relationships, everyday experiences and opportunities can support young people to grow.
01 / LEARNING
Trauma-informed care
Understanding experiences. Building trust.
Difficult or frightening experiences can affect how a young person feels, responds to others and makes sense of the world. Trauma-informed care means keeping those experiences in mind and responding with patience, understanding and consistency.
What this means in everyday life
- Safety
- Create predictable routines, explain changes and help young people know who they can turn to.
- Trust
- Be honest, keep promises and explain what will happen next.
- Choice
- Offer manageable choices and involve young people in decisions that affect them.
- Working together
- Listen to what feels helpful and build support around the young person’s needs.
- Empowerment
- Notice strengths, respect boundaries and help young people feel more in control.
The aim is to help young people feel safe enough to build relationships, ask for support and move forward at their own pace.
All learning topics ↑02 / LEARNING
PACE
Small moments. Stronger connections.
PACE stands for Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy. Developed by psychologist Dan Hughes, it is an approach to communicating that helps adults build safe, trusting relationships with children and young people.
Four ways to stay connected
- Playfulness
- Share gentle humour and enjoyment when it feels right. Follow the young person’s lead; do not make light of distress.
- Acceptance
- Let young people know their feelings matter. Accepting a feeling can sit alongside clear limits on unsafe behaviour.
- Curiosity
- Wonder about what might be behind a reaction. Ask gently, without blame or assuming you already know the answer.
- Empathy
- Show that you are trying to understand their experience and that they do not have to face difficult feelings alone.
PACE brings warmth and understanding to everyday conversations while keeping boundaries clear and relationships steady.
All learning topics ↑04 / LEARNING
Positive Youth Development
Recognising strengths. Opening possibilities.
Positive Youth Development starts with a young person’s strengths, interests and potential. It asks what support and opportunities will help them grow, while recognising the difficulties they may be facing.
Five building blocks for growth
- Competence
- Build practical, social and learning skills through opportunities to try, practise and improve.
- Confidence
- Develop a belief in their own worth and abilities, with encouragement that recognises effort as well as achievement.
- Connection
- Build positive relationships and a sense of belonging with people and communities.
- Character
- Explore values, responsibility and fairness, with support to make thoughtful choices.
- Caring and compassion
- Develop understanding for others while learning that their own needs and feelings matter too.
These five “Cs” can lead to a sixth: Contribution. Young people can use their strengths to make a difference in ways that matter to them, at a pace that feels right.
All learning topics ↑WHAT MATTERS TO US
Seen. Heard. Valued.
♡
Compassion
Taking time to understand the person and the experiences behind their feelings.
✳
Individuality
Respecting identity, recognising strengths and making space for each person’s story.
↗
Possibility
Holding high aspirations and supporting young people to shape their own futures.
LET’S START A CONVERSATION
A positive pathway
starts with connection.
Have a question about Young Pathways or our homes? We’d be pleased to hear from you.
Contact Young Pathways ↗
03 / LEARNING
Social pedagogy
Learning through life, together.
Social pedagogy brings care, learning and relationships together. It looks at the whole young person: their feelings, interests, relationships, skills and hopes. Everyday experiences become opportunities to learn and connect.
Head, heart and hands
Adults and young people can learn alongside each other. Shared experiences help young people discover what they enjoy and what they can do.
All learning topics ↑