Building Confidence and Independence has been clearly reflected in the progress made by a person we support at Riverside Haven throughout February. During this time, they strengthened their day-to-day routines and demonstrated calm, confident self-management while balancing health needs with meaningful activities.

They maintained a positive routine by cooking regular meals, keeping on top of household tasks and engaging in hobbies such as baking, drawing and watching TV or gaming. Alongside this, they continued to maintain strong connections with friends and family. The month also included travelling to appointments and local shops, as well as successfully completing a planned train journey to visit a friend. The trip was a positive experience, and they returned feeling proud of how well it had gone.

Managing Health Needs with Confidence

When health challenges arose, including nightmares, brief absences and elbow pain following an early-month seizure, they demonstrated strong self-awareness and used agreed strategies to stay safe.

They chose to take breaks when feeling hot or dizzy, removed their glasses and adopted safe positions when noticing pre-ictal signs, and asked their support team to shadow at a distance when needed. This approach allowed them to preserve their independence while ensuring safety remained a priority. They also engaged positively with therapy sessions and shared that this support is helping them feel more in control.

Strengthening Everyday Living Skills

At home, they continued to build confidence in everyday living skills and personal responsibilities. They cooked independently, preparing meals such as pasta bakes, bacon rolls and a Victoria sponge cake. Household tasks were also maintained, including cleaning their bathroom, completing laundry and keeping up with washing-up.

They also took pride in improving their home environment by purchasing an iron and an ironing board and asking staff to help them learn how to iron. Plans are also underway to install shelving, helping make the flat feel more comfortable and personal.

These achievements reflect a person building stability, self-awareness and pride in everyday life, while living more on their own terms and working collaboratively with their support team.

Linking Progress to Our Outcomes Pathway

This progress can also be understood through our Outcomes Pathway tool, which helps measure meaningful development across key areas of life.

Recent achievements reflect positive movement in several domains:

• Independence & Daily Living: cooking meals, maintaining household tasks and developing new skills such as ironing
• Health & Wellbeing: recognising early signs of health concerns and using agreed strategies to remain safe
• Confidence & Emotional Wellbeing: engaging with therapy and reflecting positively on personal progress
• Relationships & Social Connections: maintaining friendships, family relationships and travelling independently to visit a friend
• Person-Led Support: working collaboratively with staff while maintaining choice, control and independence