The Beckly Agencies & Workers
Placement Criteria
The Beckly Centre is an independent non profit making registered charity that provides leisure time activities for children and young people from all areas of Plymouth particularly working with and for those who are disadvantaged through disability. The Beckly Programme offer a range of leisure activities for fun socialising and play, including arts, music life skills, games trips and outing. All of these activities will be geared to the abilities and ages of the children and young people attending who are divided into groupings by ability/ age / mobility / level of assessed care and supervisions needs.
The Beckly Centre has a full range of play equipment including soft play, bouncy castle and ball pool: sports equipment including table tennis and snooker: table games and floor puzzles: life skills equipment for cooking: full range of arts and craft materials and equipment: music and hifi equipment: computer and games equipment.
The building, which is adjacent to Radford Park at Plymstock, comprises of two large play halls with a small outside garden area and is disabled accessible with a ramp, toilets and changing facilities including a hoist available.
Sessions are operated on an open access system available to all children and young people with disability from all areas of Plymouth
Age range from 4+ years up to and including 18 plus.
Referral may be made by Parents direct, by Social Services or by other agencies fees are already subsidised by grants from the City of Plymouth but a contribution is also required for each session booked which may be paid by parents (in full or part) or by Social services or a combination of both. All fees must be paid in advance
Sessions are operated on a group basis with a maximum of 15 to 20 places available for each session.
We divide those attending into three groups by ability, age and level of personal care and supervision needs - i.e.
- (1) Less able: needing personal care and supervision mainly younger age
- (2) Intermediates: Less supervision/ personal care, more able age range 9 / 13,
- (3) Seniors: older/ more able less care and supervision needs, youth club age
This split is successful in providing groups that are closer in ability and needs where activities can be planned to be more appropriate and concentrated. Identifying which is appropriate to the child’s needs should be discussed with the Centre Manager.
The range of disabilities accepted is wide and details should be discussed with the Centre Manager as wherever possible we will try to overcome any particular problems.
We will accept children with other specific problems provided adequate notice is given so that relevant information and training can be obtained and suitable care / supervision arrangements can be made.
Detailed registration forms and additional information is required from parents/ carers together with assessments / care plans from other agencies where available and where applicable specific training or resources may need to be provided to cover assessed needs.
It is preferable for new clients to be introduced to Beckly sessions in advance of major holidays or before crisis intervention is needed so that we can check that the provision is suitable and likely to meet their needs and allows staff to get to know them. Introductory visits are highly recommended and registration procedures must be completed
There is a limited transport service available for some sessions. We can not guarantee availability of seats nor to pick up and drop off at set times or to carry out the transport route in any particular order.
Priority is given to those with no other means of transport.
The Beckly Centre does not have access to many health, education and social services records and background information concerning those for whom we are asked to provide places. It is important that as much information as possible is passed on to us particularly if a child/ young person is likely to be distressed through illness or other disruption at home / if there are child protection issues relating to the child/ young person or problems in their domestic/school environment.
A detailed booking, registration and consent form is always sent to the parent/carer for completion so please let us know if they will need help with this
Booking forms can be obtained from the Beckly Office and usually cover a block of sessions and bookings will be accepted for any /all appropriate sessions over the whole period or for single days. There may be additional admission / activity charges for extra or special events / activities and these are shown on the term sessions programme
Evening Clubs are operated during term time on a drop in basis and can be paid for each session.
Weekend, Playscheme sessions and trips must be pre-booked and paid for in advance Weekend sessions operate during term time split between ability / age groups..
Playschemes will be run on the basis of 2 days per week for each ability/age groups so that there will be some sessions available to everyone each week.
Day trips and outings only those already known to Beckly can join these outings
We are unable to provide places for children / young people whose problems relate to challenging or severely disruptive behaviour
We do not have facilities to look after children who are unwell / sick
We are not able to accept clients who have assessed needs requiring nursing or invasive medical procedures. Details should be discussed with the Centre manager
Whilst we maintain good staff to client ratios we do not offer one to one support unless specially arranged and separately funded. If a potential client’s needs are assessed as need one to one support then this should be discussed with the Manager