Evidence of learning

About TheSPACE

TheSPACE (an acronym for Therapeutic Specialist Providers of Assessment, Care and Education) was established in 2000. Two years later, the first school opened in Kendal, Cumbria, and now there are two schools: Fellside Middle School can accommodate five young people, aged 7—12; Fellside Upper School can accommodate nine, aged 13—19.

All live with us for up to 52 weeks of the year. In our extensive and attractive grounds is the Bungalow, where two young people aged 16—19 can live semi-independently (shopping, cooking and caring for themselves) while attending college.

Both schools have their own residential, classroom and office accommodation and are situated on the edge of woods, with spectacular views over Kendal and surrounding countryside. All bedrooms are en suite, and there is plenty of space for communal activities, as well as places to meet privately with visitors. It is just five minutes' walk into Kendal town centre (15 back up the hill).

TheSPACE/Human Givens Consultancy (known as the Centre), in the centre of Kendal, opened in 2005 as a base for professional staff development, work with our young people and their families and for offering therapy to the general public and training for health and education professionals nationally. It also offers training and consultation to a wide range of organisations throughout the country, including the National Eating Disorders Association, Devon Local Education Authority (through teaching assistant induction training), the University of Plymouth's undergraduate programme, hospice nursing staff, and mainstream and special schools.

We have 42 staff in all, a mix of teachers (12), pastoral care staff (17), therapeutic, administrative and ancillary staff, plus Dan, our dog. All staff are given a grounding in the human givens approach, so that our work with the children has a coherent basis.

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© Joe Griffin and Ivan Tyrrell 2006

This article first appeared in Volume 13, No, 1 (2006) of the Human Givens journal

FRED GRIST is principal of TheSPACE, which he founded in 2000 along with senior administrator, (and partner) Jane Leeson. He has nearly 30 years' teaching experience,the latter half spent teaching, or, as a head, in residential special schools in the North West. For a number of years, he was Chair of the Cumbria Registration and Inspection Unit. He holds the Human Givens Diploma.

MIKE BEARD became director of therapeutic services for TheSPACE in September 2004. He previouslly worked within Devon Local Education Authority, where his work focused on the development and delivery of training for health and education professionals working with vulnerable young children. He has also worked for the Criminal Justice Service and at a strategic level within ther Connexions service. He holds the Human Givens Diploma.

> More information, including all references, can be found in the following book, by Joe Griffin and Ivan Tyrrell

Human Givens: A new approach to emotional health and clear thinking

> You can find out more on the issues raised in this article at the following MindFields College workshops:

Effective interventions with young offenders

'Every child does matter' - How to transforms the lives of challenging children and adolescents