Helping young people to understand their offending behaviour, build a sense of responsibility and acquire life skills are central to Oberstown’s CEHOP® model of care.
Campus Rule 4 states: “Young people shall have access to a range of services, supports and programmes that address their offending behaviour and prevent further offending on release.”
We select and implement programmes based on their proven effectiveness in helping young people. Delivered through group work and individual interventions, each programme is underpinned by the principles of restorative practice with a focus on positive outcomes.
Programmes are generally popular with young people at Oberstown. Engagement in programmes shows that a young person is committed to making progress, which can help in dealings with the courts, the probation service and Oberstown senior management when considering matters such as requests for permitted absence or applications to stay on campus past their 18th birthday. Participation in one programme often leads young people to sign up for more as they see the opportunities for personal development, increased self-confidence and skills development.
Young people on remand, particularly those on short remand orders, can initially be reluctant to engage in programmes. This often changes once they have the opportunity to get to know the programme facilitators and hear positive things from their peers and unit staff. Planning programmes for young people on remand is a challenge, however, especially when the length of their stay in Oberstown is uncertain.
Young people new to Oberstown benefit from ‘Life connections’ sessions, which include therapeutic play sessions and introduce the concept of programme work. This can play an important role when the campus receives a large number of first-time admissions.
Some young people, near the end of their sentence or those who are turning 18, disengage from programmes. However, most young people remain involved, supported by the Oberstown Programmes Team who plan sessions that allow for factors such as court appearances, medical appointments, visits, activities and school
Current programmes for young people include:
Outcomes Star Assessment Tool
Outcomes Star is a core element of keyworking in Oberstown. It is a set of evidence-based tools for assessing, identifying and meeting the needs of young people in order to help them focus on positive change.
We use the Justice Star variation of the approach as it fits well with CEHOP®, encouraging young people to build a holistic picture of their personal development across 10 key areas of their lives, including but not limited to addressing offending behaviour: Accommodation; Living Skills & Self Care; Mental Health & Wellbeing; Friends and Community; Relationships and Family; Parenting and Caring; Drugs & Alcohol; Positive use of time; Managing strong feelings; A Crime-free life. Unit managers and residential social care workers (RSCWs) use Justice Star to help young people measure their progress throughout their stay on campus, and help them to engage with targeted programmes and interventions. Further information.
“Pathways” Life Skills Intervention
The “Pathways” life skills intervention is Oberstown’s keyworking framework. This is a practical life skills guide for young people who are preparing to leave care, delivered by RSCWs in nine one-to-one modules during keyworking sessions. It is available to every young person on a remand or detention order in Oberstown and is delivered to each young person on campus through the CEHOP® care framework.
Decider Life Skills
Based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), the programme uses skills under four core skill sets: Distress Tolerance, Mindfulness, Emotional Regulation and Interpersonal Effectiveness. The programme uses a lifejacket metaphor as a fun and memorable way to introduce young people to the skills that keep them afloat when an “emotional emergency” occurs. Young people learn coping skills and develop the resilience required to deal with impulsive behaviours.
Victim Empathy
“What Have I Done?” is a practical approach to encouraging empathy in young people who hurt others through their behaviour. It challenges the young person to consider what they can do to help repair the harm they have caused.
Crinan Drug Relapse Prevention
A group work intervention from the Crinan Youth Project that aims to teach participants how to examine the triggers for and the consequences of their drug/alcohol use. It supports young people to develop strategies that help them effectively manage and overcome any stressors or triggers in their environment that may cause a relapse, and is therefore best suited to young people due for release shortly after completing the programme. The programme consists of eight modules.
REAL U
REAL U (Relationships Explored and Life Uncovered) is a personal development and sex education programme aimed at equipping young people with the skills, knowledge and confidence to develop healthy relationships and delay the onset of early sexual activity. The programme has core modules, with electives on sexually transmitted infections, contraception, and unplanned pregnancy.
Respect: Dating Detox
Dating Detox is an evidence-based programme, developed by Respect, a UK based domestic abuse charity. It aims to support young people to address a variety of issues around their behaviour in relationships. This was a new programme in 2023, introduced after nine members of staff were trained on campus by Respect. Oberstown tailored the programme into three sections: Consent and Online Behaviour (2 sessions); Respect and Healthy Relationships (3 sessions); and Anger Management (4 sessions). The young people who completed the sessions were all 17 or 18 years old who had previously completed the REAL U programme.
#askconsent
#askconsent is a workshop focusing on the key concept of consent in all sexual activity, and the self-awareness and communication skills required to protect themselves and others. It was developed by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and has been used in colleges across the country. The Oberstown programmes team adapted the material for delivery to our young people and incorporated it into the Respect: Dating Detox programme in 2023. The workshop was also delivered as a stand-alone session.
Teen Parent Support Programme
A toolkit that promotes best practice in supporting young people at a critical early point of pregnancy and parenthood. Delivered during key working sessions, the focus is on achieving the best possible health and wellbeing outcomes for young teenage parents and their children.
IPS Prison Transfer Programme – Wheatfield Proof
This programme supports young people through their transition from Oberstown to Wheatfield Prison by familiarising young people with what to expect upon arrival and during their time there. It is delivered by external facilitators from Solas Project, offering a combination of pre- and post-release support services focused on reducing reoffending.
The programme takes place once a week, over eight weeks, during evening activities.
Understanding the Court Process
A programme run by Solas Project to help young people understand the court processes and terminology.
Learning for Life
A life skills programme facilitated by external facilitators from Solas Project. The aim is to support young people to equip themselves with practical skills they may need when they leave Oberstown. It is delivered once a week over 14 weeks.
Pro Social Driver Behaviour Programme
Pro Social Ireland delivers this programme, designed for any young person who has road traffic offences and is willing to challenge their driving behaviour. The programme consists of four modules delivered over six two-hour sessions over three weekends. Content is adapted to suit the young people in Oberstown. In 2023, mechanics worked with young people to help increase their understanding of the technical aspects of working with cars.
Solas Driver Safety Programme
The Solas Project team introduced a Driver Safety Programme in the second half of 2023, due to the increased number of young people on campus with driving offences. The programme consisted of five sessions to address young people’s awareness of: Risk Taking; Driving Offences; Safe Driving; and Consequences.
Street Doctors
Street Doctors is a registered charity run by junior doctors and medical students. They teach life-saving first aid to young people at risk of violent crime and drug use. This workshop is delivered by external facilitators in two one-hour sessions.
Life Connections
Workshops by Life Connections featuring open conversations about emotional, social and mental health issues. Topics include mental health, grief, loss, healthy relationships and emotional intelligence.
Conflict Skills Training
A six-week programme delivered by the Traveller Mediation Service, which identified the need for a more targeted service specifically aimed at young Travellers. The aim of the programme is to equip the participants with a range of communication and conflict related skills, to provide participants with opportunities to explore conflict and problem solving in hopes of empowering them to use a conflict management process when faced with conflict.