Therapeutic & Residential Care

Our Therapeutic Approach

Every interaction, every day: care that goes far beyond the therapy room.

Our CEO's Vision for Therapeutic Care

Therapeutic care is about far more than the hour a week a young person spends with their therapist; it is about every interaction and lived experience they have whilst in our care. Yes, there are formal therapy sessions and scheduled key-worker sessions, both aimed at helping a young person explore and resolve their issues and difficulties, learn new coping mechanisms and solve practical challenges, but therapeutic care is about every day-to-day interaction and experience our young people have.

Our staff are trained to be playful, accepting, curious and empathetic, so children feel safe to form relationships and explore themselves and the world around them. Our therapeutic care model is designed to provide a safe, supportive environment where young people can feel heard, understood, and empowered to develop resilience and make positive life choices.

As well as helping form positive and trusting relationships, we place great emphasis on psycho-social enhancement, which goes beyond relationships and aims to ensure the young person experiences positive, life-enriching experiences aimed at building a sense of self-worth, competence, confidence, a sense of belonging and positive functioning. By working in this way, we aim to ensure our young people develop a more rounded sense of self and identity, a more positive view of the world around them and a more optimistic view of themselves and what lies ahead for them. We endeavour to assist a young person to develop greater levels of independent functioning, learn resilience and develop adaptive coping skills as well as providing them with great experiences like holidays and concerts. We help young people develop hobbies and interests and join clubs, courses and teams. Every aspect of our therapeutic care model is aimed at ensuring our young people learn to become the best possible version of themselves and leave our care with positive life experiences and memories, which stand them in good stead when entering the wider world.

To ensure consistency of approach, language and therapeutic care delivery, a great deal of our approach is informed by our partnership with DGF Psychology. DGF Psychology not only provide individual therapy sessions to our young people, but also attend regular multi-disciplinary meetings, provide training, and engage teams in reflective practice.

For more information about our work with DGF Psychology, Dr Hayley Thomas, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, writes:

Dr Hayley Thomas Consultant Clinical Psychologist · DGF Psychology

Who we are

At DGF Psychology, we often talk about the importance of really understanding young people: not just what we see on the surface, but the experiences, relationships and stories that sit underneath. Our work is rooted in the belief that behaviour makes sense when you take the time to look at it in context, and that lasting change happens through safe, attuned relationships.

We work across residential care and education, alongside the people who know young people best, helping to bring psychological thinking into everyday practice. Much of what we do is about creating spaces for reflection, building confidence, and supporting others to feel equipped to offer care that is both consistent and compassionate.

Our relationship with Genesis

Our relationship with Genesis has grown over time and is grounded in a shared vision: that young people deserve thoughtful, therapeutic care that supports them not just in the moment, but as they move towards adulthood.

What makes this partnership feel meaningful is how embedded it is. We are not something separate that comes in from the outside; instead, we work alongside teams, getting to know the homes, the rhythms of daily life, and the individual young people who live there. This allows psychological thinking to become part of the culture, rather than something added on.

The approach we share

Across Genesis homes, we work together to promote an approach that is trauma-informed, attachment-aware, and deeply relational. Many of the young people we support have experienced significant adversity, and so we hold in mind that their behaviours are often expressions of distress, need, or unmet experiences.

In practice, this means leaning into approaches such as therapeutic parenting and drawing on ideas from dyadic developmental psychotherapy, particularly the use of PACE (playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy). These principles help guide how adults respond, encouraging curiosity over judgement and connection over control.

There is also a strong emphasis on low arousal and non-aversive approaches, supporting young people to feel safe rather than escalated, and helping them to build a positive quality of life through meaningful relationships and experiences with the adults around them.

Supporting the model of care: working with teams

A big part of our role is supporting staff teams to feel confident in delivering this kind of care. We know that the work can be emotionally demanding, and so creating space for thinking and reflection is really important.

We do this in a number of ways:

Regular consultation and reflective practice, offering a space to think together about young people and the challenges that arise
Training around attachment, trauma, therapeutic parenting and relational approaches
Weekly support within the homes, modelling and coaching psychologically informed practice in real situations

This “practice leadership” approach means that ideas don’t just stay in training rooms. They are lived out in the everyday interactions between staff and young people. Over time, this helps to build consistency across teams and a shared understanding of what therapeutic care looks like in action.

Working with the young person

Alongside team support, we also work directly with young people in a way that is individualised and meaningful to them.

When a young person arrives, we begin with a comprehensive psychological assessment, bringing together their experiences, strengths and needs. From this, we develop a formulation: a shared understanding of what might be driving their distress, and associated behaviour, and how best to support them.

This understanding is not just kept in a report; it is actively shared with the team through discussions and formulation sessions, so that it can shape everyday care.

Where helpful, we offer direct therapeutic interventions, drawing from a range of evidence-based approaches such as CBT, DBT, trauma-informed therapies, narrative work and EMDR. Just as importantly, we work indirectly, supporting the adults around the young person to respond in ways that are consistent with their needs.

Supporting the wider system

Our work doesn’t stop with the young person or the immediate team. We also support the wider systems that sit around the homes, helping to ensure that care is safe, thoughtful and continually developing.

This includes working alongside managers on governance processes, contributing to audits and service evaluations, and helping to ensure that behaviour support and risk management plans are ethically informed and aligned with best practice.

We also support service development, reflecting on what is working well, where things could be strengthened, and how the overall model of care can continue to grow.

Throughout all of this, we try to hold onto a simple but important principle: that the young person remains at the centre. Everything else exists to support them: the plans, the systems, the conversations.

In essence

Perhaps the simplest way to describe our role is that we support not just the young person, but the whole system around them. By working closely with Genesis homes over time, building relationships, sharing understanding and thinking together, we aim to create environments where young people feel safer, more understood, and more able to move forward.

Our Therapeutic Approach

Care, guided by PACE.

Every relationship our team builds with the young people in our care is rooted in four principles: the foundation of trauma-informed practice.

Playfulness

Bringing lightness, warmth and genuine connection into difficult moments through playful, engaging interactions that help each young person feel safe, valued and understood before guidance.

Acceptance

Creating space for every emotion to be understood without judgement, accepting each young person's inner experiences with empathy and compassion, whilst recognising that behaviours have meaning.

Curiosity

Approaching behaviours with curiosity rather than judgement, helping young people explore the emotions behind their responses and understand the experiences shaping how they feel and act.

Empathy

Responding with empathy and emotional understanding, meeting young people where they are emotionally, helping them feel safe, supported and genuinely understood whilst building trust through shared experience.

The Needs We Support

Understanding Trauma and Attachment Disorders

Supporting young people through trauma, emotional dysregulation, attachment difficulties and complex mental-health needs with compassionate, therapeutic, relationship-led care.

ADHD ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that can affect attention, activity levels and impulse control.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that can affect attention, activity levels and impulse control. Every child experiences ADHD differently, and with patient, personalised support they can build on their strengths and thrive.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong difference in how a person experiences, understands and interacts with the world.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong difference in how a person experiences, understands and interacts with the world. Autistic children and young people may have distinct communication, sensory or routine needs, as well as individual interests and strengths.

PTSD and complex PTSD (CPTSD) PTSD and complex PTSD (CPTSD) can develop following frightening, distressing or repeated traumatic experiences.

PTSD and complex PTSD (CPTSD) can develop following frightening, distressing or repeated traumatic experiences. Symptoms may include intrusive memories, nightmares, feeling constantly on alert, avoiding reminders, or finding emotions and relationships difficult to manage.

Psychotic symptoms Psychotic symptoms can affect how a young person experiences reality.

Psychotic symptoms can affect how a young person experiences reality. They may hear or see things that others do not, hold strong beliefs that others do not share, or experience confused thinking; sensitive, prompt professional support can aid recovery.

Depression Depression is more than feeling sad from time to time.....

Depression is more than feeling sad from time to time. It can involve a persistent low or irritable mood, loss of interest, tiredness, changes in sleep or appetite, and difficulty concentrating; early support can make a meaningful difference.

Anxiety Anxiety can take many forms, including persistent worry, panic, social anxiety, separation anxiety and specific fears.

Anxiety can take many forms, including persistent worry, panic, social anxiety, separation anxiety and specific fears. When anxiety begins to interfere with home, education, friendships or everyday activities, understanding and tailored support can help a young person feel safer and more confident.

Borderline Personality Disorder The National Institute of Mental Health describe Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) as a mental illness that severely impacts a person’s ability to regulate their emotions.

The National Institute of Mental Health describe Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) as a mental illness that severely impacts a person’s ability to regulate their emotions. This loss of emotional control can increase impulsivity, affect how a person feels about themselves, and negatively impact their relationships with others.
Individuals with BPD may experience mood swings, a distorted sense of self, and intense, unstable relationships. They may experience extremely intense emotions and have great difficulty regulating these; so much so that they may utilise self-harm or have suicidal thoughts. Difficulties forming and maintaining relationships can often result in an intense and pervasive fear of abandonment. BPD can often result in people having cognitive and perceptual distortions, which can result in them having difficulties understanding and processing information. Some people with BPD have also described a chronic sense of emptiness and a lack of sense of purpose or direction.
Trauma and neglect in childhood is a common theme in many diagnosed with BPD alongside environmental and genetic factors. Causes remain unclear and differ in individuals. How an individual experiences living with BPD is completely individual and unique to that person.

Attachment Disorder Attachment disorder in children refers to difficulties forming and maintaining healthy emotional bonds with those that seek to care for them.

Attachment disorder in children refers to difficulties forming and maintaining healthy emotional bonds with those that seek to care for them. They can impact social and emotional development and manifest in various ways; from emotional withdrawal to difficulty regulating emotions and exhibiting challenging behaviours.
Attachment disorders are caused by various factors, including neglect and abuse. In some cases our young people’s attachment disorders can be exacerbated by institutionalisation, or simply as a consequence of having multiple care placements. Our teams are trained to help repair attachment disorders through the forming and establishment of healthy emotional bonds. In young people who have previously not experienced healthy attachments, this work can often be central to their progress and can prove to be challenging and rewarding in equal measure.

Disordered eating Disordered eating describes troubling thoughts or behaviours around food, eating, weight or body image that may not meet the criteria for a specific eating disorder.

Disordered eating describes troubling thoughts or behaviours around food, eating, weight or body image that may not meet the criteria for a specific eating disorder. It can still have a serious effect on physical and emotional wellbeing, and early, compassionate support is important.

Self Harm The act provides a means of replacing psychological pain with physical pain and a means of maladaptively asserting control over a situation, thought or emotion which the individuals are otherwise struggling to cope with.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Quality Standard (NICE) defines self-harm as intentional act of self-poisoning or self-injury, irrespective of the motivation or apparent purpose. An umbrella term, self-harm includes a variety of different behaviours which can differ in individuals and change over time. Reasons may also change, and although likely to be a way to cope with difficult emotions or experiences, this will not always be the case.
The act provides a means of replacing psychological pain with physical pain and a means of maladaptively asserting control over a situation, thought or emotion which the individuals are otherwise struggling to cope with. As well as establishing a sense of control, our young people utilise self-harm as a form of self-punishment; a means of relieving anxiety and tension; a means of eliciting caregiving from others or to numb themselves to distressing thoughts, feelings and memories. Conversely some young people use self-harm as a way of feeling alive, or feeling something where they are otherwise numb.

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