Our homes / Riverside House
Riverside House
A place for reflection, creative expression and stillness, helping young people understand their emotions rather than fear them.
Still water runs deep.
A river looks still on the surface and is full of movement beneath. It holds everything and keeps flowing. Riverside House is named for that quality: depth beneath calm, and the capacity to hold a great deal.
We support young people who carry a lot inside, and who may have learned ways of coping that now get in their way. We create the conditions for them to explore their inner world safely, at their own pace, with trusted adults alongside them.
Creative and therapeutic arts are at the heart of the home. Paint, music, movement, writing and drama can reach places that conversation alone sometimes cannot.
Expression is a form of healing
Young people who struggle to put their feelings into words often find another way, if we give them the space and the tools.
Visual arts
Painting, drawing, collage and sculpture let young people show their inner world. What they make often says more than talking, and it is entirely theirs.
Music
From listening to writing lyrics, music regulates and communicates. We help young people find instruments, genres and artists that speak to them.
Creative writing and journals
Poetry, stories and diaries help young people find their voice, without judgement and without an audience unless they want one.
Drama and role play
Stepping into a character makes it safer to explore feelings that are too big to approach directly.
Mindfulness and movement
Breathing, body awareness, yoga and stretching help young people build a friendlier relationship with their own minds.
Stories and books
Stories can hold truths young people are not ready to say aloud. We read together in the spirit of wondering rather than teaching.
Steady, deep and always moving forward
Our team is trained to be curious, patient and genuinely interested in each young person's world. The relationship is the therapy.
- Emotional literacy: noticing, naming and understanding feelings
- Mindfulness woven into daily life, with simple tools for hard moments
- Calm, considered responses that are never punitive
- Support for identity, culture, history and self-worth
“Feelings are not problems to be solved. They are experiences to be understood. Our job is to sit alongside young people while they begin to understand theirs.”Riverside House care team
A rhythm that holds and nurtures
Structured enough to feel predictable and flexible enough to feel human.
Every day includes
- A calm, shared start with a keyworker check-in
- Learning in school, at a PRU or at home
- A creative or therapeutic activity
- Time outdoors, by the river, in the park or on a walk
- A home-cooked meal prepared together
- A quiet wind-down routine in the evening
- A trusted adult whenever they need one
Each week includes
- An individual keywork session
- Therapeutic arts sessions, group and individual
- Physical activity and outdoor exploration
- A community meeting where young people's voices count
- An outing chosen by the young people
- Family contact, where it is safe and appropriate
Creative pathways back to learning
For some young people, school has come to feel unsafe because of exclusion, anxiety or past experiences. We don't pretend a classroom immediately feels safe for everyone.
Instead we build from the creative arts outwards. A young person who begins to write poetry has begun to write. We use these moments as bridges towards more formal learning as confidence grows. We attend every education meeting and advocate strongly for each child.
- In-home education support from qualified staff
- Creative arts as a route into learning
- EHCP review support and advocacy
- Strong PRU and school partnerships
- Vocational and life skills learning
Is Riverside House the right fit?
We'd welcome a conversation about the young person you have in mind and whether Riverside House is the right match.