Update from Susie Besant, CEO of One-Eighty - 5th January, 2021

With the latest National Lockdown announced yesterday evening, we are giving clarity to those that use our service to reiterate that One-Eighty remains an essential service, and remains open. We continue to provide short-term, intensive interventions to young people and families across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, through face-to-face and online sessions. Having supported young people through the previous lockdown in 2020, we understand the challenges this situation poses on parents; carers; young people; schools; and supportive professionals etc. – supporting their wellbeing remains one of our priorities alongside our staff team.

We are individually risk assessing the family situation of each young person to determine whether face-to-face sessions can continue, and where this is deemed not possible, our team are safely engaging with young people online. We have reviewed our risk assessments and digital safeguarding procedures accordingly throughout the pandemic, and continue to do so to adapt to the continued changes.

Furthermore, we are currently designing some new First Aid Home Packs to support our work with young people, and these will be despatched as soon as completed. These packs include weekly guidance and resources for use with our remote interventions and contact/support details for different risk factors such as domestic abuse, bereavement and self-harm.

Your school/ college or other organisation can request a pack by contacting: enquiries@one-eighty.org.uk

If you think a young person would benefit from our support, please get in touch via our referral form here.

One-Eighty also offers help and guidance (such as External Supervision) for professionals who we know are under intense pressure at this time. If this is an aspect that would be supportive for your school / organisation, please use the enquiries email above to find out more information.

Once again, we would like to thank our committed team for their hard work and support for vulnerable young people amidst these uncertain times, and extend our thanks to those who have and continue to support One-Eighty throughout the past 12-months.

Susie Besant

CEO, One-Eighty.