Options Higford

Options Higford 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.  

Set in 28 acres of rolling Shropshire countryside, Higford 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 apply learning across different situations.

Options Higford 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 and Language Therapists.

“Students make good and often outstanding progress, achieving well in their academic and personal development.” (Autism Accreditation)

Our team reflects the needs of the children and young people that live and learn within the schools and or home, however additional support can also be accessed from other specialists within the wider Clinical Team. This enables us to be responsive to the newly identified, time limited or changing needs of an individual throughout their placement with us.

At Higford we take a person-centred and outcomes focused approach to providing care and education that is designed to help each student exercise choice and control, increase their confidence and prepare for adulthood. We believe that education should be individually tailored and delivered in a variety of environments, with a curriculum that encourages the development of communication, social and life skills as well as academic achievement. Each student’s individual learning abilities, requirements and academic progression are consistently monitored to ensure that support remains proactive, learning opportunities are maximised and every individual achievement is celebrated.

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 Higford 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.