Our Residentials
Start with a residential
All children begin their journey with Free to Be Kids by attending our residentials projects. Some only attend once, for respite during a time of particular turbulence in their life, whilst others need the consistency and support we can offer throughout their whole childhood, returning annually or biannually, or moving to one of our other projects as they grow.
Supporting vulnerable children
The 5-day residential projects provide an intensive introduction to our work and our team work to develop an in depth understanding of each child’s strengths, interests and needs through living alongside them. The projects are carefully designed to support particularly vulnerable children who may struggle to engage with more generic support, such as local youth groups and open access holiday provision. Our high adult:child ratio gives us the ability to respond flexibly to individual children’s needs, ensuring that each has the time and tailored support they need to succeed.
What to expect
Children are grouped into small family units, along with 2-3 consistent adult ‘Helpers’, who provide nurturing, therapeutic support throughout their stay. Helpers support children to make friends quickly and facilitate teamwork and social skills.
Through engaging activities like kayaking across a lake, pony trekking through the woods, and treasure hunts at the beach, children build resilience, confidence, and social skills. The supportive environment helps them feel more confident in overcoming challenges and develop a sense of belonging.
Referrers, parents and children themselves tell us that our Gateway Projects give them:
- Increased resilience and confidence
- Improved social skills and relationships
- A sense of belonging and feeling special – often for the first time in a long time
- Joy, adventure and space to play
Information for Young People
Find all of the practical information you need about coming on our projects.
Information for Parents & Carers
Find all of the practical information you need about your child coming on our projects.
Follow on projects
Mentoring
Initial 4 day residential projects for 8-12 year olds.
Young leaders
Initial 4 day residential projects for 8-12 year olds.
Make a Referral
Children should generally be referred to Free to be Kids by a teacher, social worker or other professional working with the family. If you are a parent or carer, please ask your child’s school or another support agency working with your family to make the referral, where possible.