Therapeutic communities are places where people with severe behavioural difficulties or mental health problems can be treated in a supported environment where every activity and treatment is planned around them and their needs.
There are therapeutic communities to treat people of all ages and different types of problems. Sometimes severely emotionally troubled children in care may be given a place at a residential therapeutic community especially for young people if social workers feel it is the best environment to help them thrive. But they are an expensive option and will usually only be considered after a child has had multiple placement breakdowns.
Therapeutic communities might house children on their own or in small groups, depending on the nature and severity of their problems, with high staffing ratios so they get intense care and support. Young people contribute to every aspect of their own care, including helping with housework and preparing meals. The aim is to build self esteem and learn essential life skills, as well as treating emotional problems, in a community setting in order to promote stability.
Charterhouse Group is a charity which acts as an umbrella group for therapeutic communities for young people. It has 19 members, which executive director Patrick Webb estimates is 30-40% of the total of therapeutic communities for children and young people. He says 60-70% of young people at those therapeutic communities registered with the Charterhouse Group are referred through being in care.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists runs the Community of Communities which sets a service standard for therapeutic communities and manages an annual cycle of self- and peer reviews for its members. Members must meet the criteria for accreditation by Community of Communities. It says child placements are typically funded by a local authority.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists works with the Charterhouse Group and two other organisations: the Association of Therapeutic Communities, which supports therapeutic communities and individual professionals working in them; and the Planned Environment Therapy Trust, an information resource on therapeutic communities.
However, not all therapeutic communities are registered with these organisations and there are those which operate completely independently.
The Charterhouse Group, the Association of Therapeutic Communities and the Planned Environment Therapy Trust have recently decided to merge to form a new organisation to help organise therapeutic communities into a cohesive group. Members of the new Council of Therapeutic Communities will receive accreditation, and the Community of Communities will continue to manage a programme of peer reviews.