About Us
Background
The roots of Auton Children's Homes lie in St Cuthberts Care's history of caring for children and young people with traumatic family lives or deep-seated behavioural problems.
The homes take their name from Leslie Auton, a former resident of St. Vincent's, the Newcastle orphanage run by the Diocesan Rescue Society - the forerunner of St. Cuthberts Care. It was a sizable bequest from Mr. Auton which provided the funding for the homes' development.
Today's Auton Children's Homes are built upon the experience of, and with the strength of, one of the longest established social care charities in the North East of England.
We offer a home environment where children feel safe and protected; where staff will act as role models, providing alternative methods of coping and will set boundaries for behaviour whilst encouraging the development of self-esteem and confidence.
All of the children are supported in their school placements and we work in close partnership with Local Education Authorities. Each has a detailed education file which highlights their educational history, specific needs and aspirations.
Activities outside of school are a recognised part of their development. All of our current residents have outside interests including swimming, playing for local football teams, badminton, drama etc, as well as access to the leisure activities available in most home situations - television, radio, arts and crafts, internet access and video games such as Wii.
A high staffing ratio is in place at Auton with a senior member of staff on duty at all times. Our own experienced and highly trained staff work closely with other professionals to support each young person in dealing with any negative emotions and feelings they have developed as a result of damaging life experiences.
All of the young people in our care have improved significantly during their stay at Auton thanks to our commitment to behaviour management and to providing support in a therapeutic environment.
Facilities
We now have several Auton children's homes in Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland and Darlington, providing a therapeutic and loving environment for both boys or girls, aged from 8 to 17 years.
All of our homes have a good child / staff ratio to enable staff to work with each youngster individually, without compromising the needs of the group as a whole. Keyworkers or other senior staff members hold one-to-one sessions with the children on a frequent basis.
Auton Newcastle is a new purpose-built house set in pleasant grounds in the west end of the city.
Children have their own lockable bedrooms, all with en-suite facilities. Rooms can be personalised to reflect the child's own identity and encourage a sense of belonging. There is a homework room and a recreation area with a cinema style TV lounge.
Staff Team
Our committed, experienced staff team running services at Auton Newcastle is led by Acting Manager, Gail Lamb.
Gail has worked for St Cuthberts Care for 13 Years, 10 of those in residential children’s services; as a Senior within our Auton homes before becoming deputy manager of Auton Sunderland.
Specialist training is accessed by all staff and there is a thorough induction and monitoring program in place to support staff. All young people are allocated a keyworker and co-worker. Regular one-to-one sessions with them allow input into their care plans, making working together towards positive outcomes achievable.
For an informal discussion or information pack about Auton Newcastle you can contact Gail on 0191 267 9765
Auton Villa
Auton Villa is situated in a residential area in the west end of Newcastle. Providing care, support and stability for up to six young people aged 8 to 17, the house has communal work and play areas, a dining room and lounge.
The Registered Manager of Auton Villa is Christine Walker. Christine has worked with children and families for 36 years, in a variety of roles.
Christine’s qualifications include: Advanced Diploma in Childcare and Education, Basic Sign Language, Certificate of Accreditation in Leadership Skills, NVQ Level 4 in Management, BTEC Higher National Diploma In Management of Care Services, NVQ Assessor Award and Learning Disabilities Award Framework (LDAF).
You can contact Christine on 0191 273 8861
Auton Sunderland is a modernised and refurbished, three storey, end terrace building in the Thornhill area of Sunderland.
Large and spacious, it offers accommodation for up to six children and provides the same high standards of care and support for which all our Auton Children's Homes have become known.
It has a comfortable lounge and separate dining room, a homework room with computers and internet access, a games room and an arts and crafts room. As in all our Auton homes, the children have their own lockable bedrooms, which they can personalise with their own posters, toys and other belongings.
For an informal discussion or information pack about Auton Sunderland you can contact Jody Ager on 0191 565 9481.
Auton Darlington is a recently modernised and adapted detached house in the west end of the town.
Each of the six bedrooms is lockable to provide the child with a degree of privacy and can be personalised to reflect their own tastes and interests. As at Auton Newcastle there is a large, comfortable lounge and an activities / homework room as well as a large garden and patio area.
The home is in a quiet residential area, just a short distance from shops and leisure facilities in the town centre.
Staff Team
Dianne Hewison is Registered Manager of Auton Darlington.
Dianne initially joined St Cuthberts Care in June 1991, working with adults with learning disabilities at Fairhaven in Darlington. In 2003, she became manager of Thornhill, formerly our children’s respite centre in Sunderland, returning to Darlington in 2009 to manage the newly commissioned Auton. Her qualifications include a Higher Diploma in Social Care Services, NVQ 4 in Management, NVQ 4 in Supporting Children and Young People together with an NVQ Assessor Award.
Dianne manages a team of 14 staff who are committed to the service and the support of the children and young people in their care. All staff are trained to NVQ level 3 in Supporting Children and Young People and are able to access specialist training as required. Staff are inducted, monitored and supported via thorough induction and supervision processes.
For an informal discussion or information pack you can contact Dianne on 01325 355 443.
Admissions
Children are admitted by referral from social services, following a pre-admission risk assessment and a discussion by an internal panel about the child's suitability for the service.
If there is a place available in the home, a key worker is appointed who, along with the Manager, spends time with the child or young person to explore their understanding and expectations of the placement. An induction process then begins, which can include an overnight stay.
If there are no vacancies at the time of referral, the child's name can be placed on a waiting list.
A copy of the Referral Procedure is available to download.
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