Young person using a climbing wall

All about North Lakes

Our services support children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs. Together our care, education and therapy establish a safe environment for all of young people to thrive in.

Who we are

Since 2007, North Lakes has helped boys to live safely, happily and facilitate opportunities to thrive. For 15 years the service has evolved: growing steadily, deepening the therapeutic understanding and gaining a second school site. Matching homes and locations to specialisms is now possible. 

We provide clear and proven routes onwards to foster care, at home or with the wider family and opportunities for long term stability for those facing the most complex challenges. A dedicated home for those with Autistic Spectrum Conditions – diagnosed or with the presenting characteristics – enables progression socially, emotionally and academically. North Lakes seeks to improve, learn and look forwards – the same values we have for all the children.

Young person having fun on a rope swing

Residential Care

We create and provide a safe place for the children to grow, develop coping mechanisms, learn emotional self or co-regulation, achieve progression and success as well as having access to opportunity including socialisation/leisure and learning life/independent skills that will prepare them for their future.

We actively involve the children in shaping and enjoying their time with us. We seek to work together and staff are highly attuned and interested in the children and their life and growth.

Therapeutic Approach

At North Lakes we understand that children who have experienced early childhood trauma and have faced difficulties in their lives are affected in the way they relate to others, regulate emotions and function on a daily basis.

Being attachment focused and trauma sensitive in our approach means every young person benefits from specific therapeutic interventions to meet their needs. We provide a safe and nurture rich environment, where everyone is seen, validated and supported. Highly attuned care enables full potentials to emerge and be recognised.

Education

At Kirby Moor School we believe that education is about developing the whole person, meeting the physical, emotional, spiritual and social, as well as academic learning needs. We are committed to making a positive impact on young people’s lives and helping to develop each individual to their full potential. Planning engaging activities helps our pupils develop knowledge and skills, resulting in more resilient, self-confident pupils ready for more independent futures.

“Valued hobbies are supported and their talents are recognised and encouraged. Each young person has an individualised plan in place to help staff understand their emotional responses and the strategies they should employ to support the young person.”

Ofsted
Young person enjoying their hobby fixing machines

Careers

Working at North Lakes is more than a career – it’s achieving extraordinary things every day. Our services support children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs. Together our care, education and therapy establish a safe environment for all of young people to thrive in.

If you are interested in joining our growing team or would like to find out more about working with us, please visit our careers page.

Support worker sat at a table with a young person helping with their work

Part of the Polaris Community

As one of the largest providers of children’s services and the very first provider of independent fostering in the UK, our community of services span the length and breadth of the whole of the UK.

We provide an extensive range of children’s services, which have grown and developed over our 30+ year history to ensure we can support children across a wide range of needs. By combining our community’s wide scale of services, as well as our local links, we’re transforming the future of children and children’s services.

The Polaris Community has a united commitment to measure and maximise our social value; defining it as ‘The positive emotional, environmental and economic impact we have on the Polaris community and wider society’. This includes opportunities we offer staff and our children and young people, but also how we work with suppliers, create job and training opportunities and our impact on the environment.

Polaris Logo

Interested in finding out more?