What the Boys Say

I was here for a few months and then I decorated my bedroom with a member of staff. I painted it red and magnolia. I did a plan of what we needed, the equipment and how much paint."

"I've got my own bathroom and my own shower. I don't have to share with anyone else and I can put my own stuff in there. I've decorated my walls with posters."

"I'm a resident at Amberleigh Care and I've been in care for eleven years. I've been to sixty placements, and it's been quite hard for me to settle in one. Amberleigh Care has been the most I've been settled for eleven years. I'm happy at Amberleigh Care because the people here are very kind and really want to do what's best for you."

"I've never been in a care home before, but I've enjoyed the nine months I've been here. The care staff help you, so it's good."

"I'm doing an NVQ in horticulture. I built a pergola in the vegetable garden, where I'm growing my own vegetables which I prepared the land for. I planted the seeds and watered them and looked after them - and we use all the vegetables in the house."

"I think the school is good. I never attended school for two years before I came here. It took me a few days to get back into school, but as soon as I got back into it, it was good. I've learnt a lot. I go every day unless I'm ill."

"We stayed on the narrow boat for a couple of days, then we went camping near Alton towers for three days. It was good."

"I like cooking, it's something I want to do when I'm older because I think I'm quite good at it. I started off in school making soup, and then we moved on to cooking main meals. Recently we had a Murder Mystery, and I was asked to cook for twenty one people!"

To the lads and staff

Thank you for helping me at Amberleigh and what I am going to say is this is upsetting me that in leaving best friends behind and sorry that I'm leaving....Thhis is just a letter to say that I love you all and god bless. So keep the good work up lads...

I want to say thank you for forming this Therapeutic care home................the therapy I have had here has been very helpful and their will be lots of techniques that I will use in the real world to control my feelings.......The independent program has been very useful for my moving on plan........ I never thought for one minute that I would be doing GCSE but now I'm up there expecting to get a B or C ........If I could stay here for ever and ever then there would be no doubt in my mind and if I was allowed I would love to work in such a non stressful, peaceful, caring environment....