Social Groups
The social group offer has been designed by the team and the young people who access the offer. While the offer doesn’t include as much overnight respite, the focus is on social activities and community engagement.
The group, or groups depending on numbers, meet up once a month at our Liverpool site. We get some food, play some board games and video games, and generally chat and socialise. Together with these monthly sessions, we try to offer some overnight stays, providing new experiences for our caseload and some much-needed respite for families, this offer is dependent on what we can safely arrange and staff.
The group is strengthened by a WhatsApp group, that all the young people join. It enables them to make new friendships, and speak directly with Andy and Alex who oversee the group. It is a safe space for young adults to develop friendships, wind up and laugh at each other, and empowers them to take control of their Claire House experience.
Emergency respite and end of life care can still be accessed as part of this offer, and we still encourage parents to contact Claire house if needed, but the onus is on the young adults to take responsibility for their own lives where possible.
Our offer starts from the age of 8 with the friendship group. This progresses onto the wider social group offer from the age of 14.
You can read more about each group below.
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This social offer has further developed with the introduction of the friendship group. This is a starting point for younger children who have been referred to Claire House to develop a relationship with the hospice.
- This gives parents and children / young people distinct bespoke offer.
- This offer is more relevant and meets needs of young people.
- It enables consistent relationships to be forged.
- It offers peer support.
- This group provides a safe introduction to Claire House – with Contacts / links to other services if required.
- It is a safe, fun & informal environment.
- It provides an emotional support network, and the opportunity for friendship building, at the point when their lives start to change, and they get used to the progression of their disability.
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The social group starts from 14 and the wider Claire House offer is then available, including the therapeutic and community outreach groups.
- Monthly social group based at Claire House Liverpool – 1st Saturday of each month usually 10:30am-2:30pm, a therapeutic hour for those who want or need to have a chat 3-4pm and then the older group 4-8pm
- Some respite opportunities either in the main hospice or at different specialist residential/activity centres, this is done whenever we can provide these breaks but is not an essential part of our offer
- WhatsApp group for communication with CH staff, safe space for chat between young adults.
- This change in offer puts the young adult at the centre of our offer, because as they become older we want to ensure that the services and activities we provide are what the young adults need and want.
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This group is very different from the social group, as the focus will be on exploring any thoughts or feelings the young adult may want to discuss.
Sometimes young people don’t wish to talk but gain benefit from listening to others. Some may just want to offer some supportive advice to their friends, while others might be going through a difficult time and will gain comfort from knowing they’re not alone.
All group discussions will be led by their thoughts and feelings. We understand that some of the younger members of the group may not be ready for this, but the opportunity to join is still there if they feel they want it.
This group is completely optional. It may not be right for some young people, but we feel that it is an offer worth trying, to further support our teenagers and young adults from a holistic well-being perspective.