Options Barton

Options Barton is a specialist service providing care and education for children and young people aged 8 to 19 with autistic spectrum conditions (ASC), associated complex needs and challenging behaviours. We are a DfE registered school and Ofsted registered children’s home, offering day and residential placements, with up to 52-week or 38-week (term time) residential care provided within specially adapted on-site accommodation.

Located near historic Barton-upon-Humber on the rolling Lincolnshire Wolds countryside, Options Barton provides a safe, homely environment for children and young people with ASC. Our extensive site and facilities provide the people we support with opportunities to safely exercise choice and control. We offer an exceptional range of activities and amenities designed to promote the development of life skills and learning.

Options Barton is specifically designed to meet the needs of individuals with autism, complex needs and associated learning disabilities as reflected in our multidisciplinary team, qualified staff, staff ratios, and purpose built specialist facilities. Clinical support is led by the Head of Clinical Services and is delivered by a core team of clinicians to include Psychiatrists, Clinical Psychologists, Forensic Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Occupational Therapists, and Speech & Language Therapists.

“The staff at Options Barton are fantastic. The child centred approach, with full understanding of autism is a paramount feature.” (Autism professional)

Options Barton delivers an adapted and differentiated National Curriculum for Key Stage 2, 3 and 4 students, and a vocational-based curriculum for post-16 students. Teaching frameworks have been specially designed for children and young people with special needs. Options Barton promotes the use of a range of approaches including SPELL and TEACCH, which again are individually adapted to the needs of each student. Parents/carers play an essential role in the development and delivery of student’s individual programmes, and are considered as key members of the staff team.

Options Barton takes a person-centred approach to the delivery of care and education that is designed to enable students to express their needs and wants, and to become more independent. Particular priority is given to the development of communication and interpersonal skills, and the use of regular physical activity to improve overall emotional and physical wellbeing.

For post 19 students our transition services offer a planned, structured move-on from our schools to individually-designed residential programmes in the same region. This enables the people we support to achieve independence by further developing life, vocational and social skills.

Options Barton is an Autism Accredited provision. The accreditation is awarded by The National Autistic Society (NAS) and ensures the highest quality of standards are met based on a personalised model of support and unified standard of excellence.