our homesDNA Services specialises exclusively in solo placements.
We have deliberately chosen to focus our experience, resources and expertise on providing highly individualised care rather than spreading our strengths across a range of different residential care models. This clear focus enables us to build our homes, staff teams and therapeutic approach around the individual young person at the heart of each placement. Our teams bring together professional experience with warmth, consistency and a genuine commitment to the young people we support.
A PACE & DDP-Informed Therapeutic Approach
our therapeutic approachOur care is underpinned by a therapeutic, relationship-based approach informed by the principles of PACE and Dyadic Developmental Practice (DDP).
PACE — Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy — helps our staff develop warm, trusting and meaningful relationships with young people. It encourages us to look beyond behaviour and to consider the feelings, experiences and needs that may sit beneath it.
We understand that emotional safety and trust cannot be rushed. Through consistent relationships, empathy and genuine curiosity, we aim to create an environment where young people can feel understood, supported and increasingly safe within their relationships with others.
P
Creating moments of warmth, enjoyment and connection that help relationships develop naturally
Playfulness
A
Supporting young people without judgement and helping them feel valued and accepted for who they are.
Acceptance
C
Looking beyond behaviour to better understand a young person’s feelings, experiences and individual needs.
Curiosity
E
Responding with compassion and understanding to help young people feel heard, supported and safe.
Empathy
Our staff receive training and support to embed these principles into everyday care. This means that the therapeutic approach is not limited to formal sessions; it helps shape the way adults communicate, respond and build relationships with the young person throughout daily life.
dedicated key workerA Key Relationship.
Every young person in our homes will be supported by a dedicated Key Worker, who will play an important role in helping them to settle, develop and work towards their individual goals.
We recognise, however, that meaningful relationships cannot be allocated on paper or forced from the first day. When a young person initially moves into the home, they will have the opportunity to spend time getting to know the staff team and begin developing relationships naturally.
As those relationships start to form, we will carefully consider which member of the team is best placed to take on the role of Key Worker, taking account of the young person's views and the relationships they are developing.
The Key Worker will then work closely alongside the young person, supporting them with areas including their goals, interests, independence, education and aspirations for the future.
The aim is to ensure that this important relationship develops from genuine trust and connection, rather than simply being assigned on the first day.
The Young Person at the Centre
At all of our homes, the young person is genuinely at the centre of everything we do.
Their voice matters.
Their wishes, views, interests and aspirations are listened to and taken seriously. We believe that meaningful involvement in decisions about their life is essential. Young people are encouraged to have genuine influence over their:
Personal space
Daily Routines
Interests & Activities
Goals and aspirations
Food and meals
Plans for their future
We want everyone to feel like they are at their home, not simply somewhere they have been placed.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to care.One Young Person. One Home. One Bespoke Journey.
Every young person is different, which is why our care is built around the individual - creating the right environment, relationships and support for them to thrive.
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We believe that education plays an important part in helping young people build confidence, develop their strengths and create opportunities for their future.
We work alongside each young person to understand their individual experience of education, including any barriers that may have affected their engagement or progress. Our staff encourage and support young people to engage with education, develop positive routines and recognise their own abilities and potential.
Education will look different for every young person. Our aim is not simply to focus on attendance or academic achievement, but to help each young person develop aspirations, discover their interests and make progress towards a future that is meaningful to them.
Through consistent relationships and individualised support, we help young people develop the confidence, skills and independence they need to take their next steps — whether that is through school, college, vocational training, employment, further education or other opportunities suited to their individual goals.
Where appropriate, we work alongside education providers and relevant professionals to support the young person's educational needs and help ensure that the adults around them have a shared understanding of their progress and aspirations.
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We recognise that positive and lasting progress is most likely when the adults and professionals around a young person work together with a shared understanding of their needs, wishes and aspirations.
The young person remains at the centre of this approach. We work collaboratively with the placing authority, social workers, education providers, health professionals, families and other important people in their life, where appropriate and in accordance with their care plan and individual circumstances.
We value open communication and the sharing of information that helps everyone understand what is working well, where difficulties may be emerging and how support can be adapted as the young person's needs develop.
Where appropriate, we also encourage young people to have a voice in these discussions and to understand what is happening around them. We want them to feel involved in decisions about their care and future, rather than feeling that decisions are simply being made on their behalf.
Our aim is for everyone involved to work together in a consistent and coordinated way, while always keeping the young person's safety, wellbeing, wishes and best interests at the heart of the process.
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We believe that a young person should have the opportunity to experience everyday life in a way that feels as normal, positive and meaningful as possible.
Living in a DNA home is not simply about receiving care and support. We want young people to have opportunities to make choices, develop confidence, try new things, enjoy their interests and gradually take greater responsibility for aspects of their everyday life.
Our staff support young people to develop practical skills at a pace that is right for them. This may include cooking and preparing meals, managing money, looking after their personal space, planning activities, using public transport, developing routines and making decisions about how they spend their time.
Independence is not something we expect a young person to achieve overnight. We recognise that progress can be gradual and that every young person will have different strengths, experiences and starting points.
Our role is to provide the encouragement, guidance and reassurance needed to help young people build confidence in their own abilities, learn from experiences and become increasingly able to manage aspects of their life for themselves.
We also want young people to experience the things that make life enjoyable — developing hobbies and friendships, exploring their interests, celebrating achievements and creating positive memories.
Ultimately, we want young people to leave our homes with greater confidence in themselves, a stronger sense of what they can achieve and the skills and resilience to take their next steps in life.
Our Homes
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Dannah House
Solo Placement | Ripley, Derbyshire
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Ban Talad
Solo Placement | Matlock, Derbyshire
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Hardy's House
Solo Placement | Clay Cross, Derbyshire
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Nalad House
Solo Placement | New Tupton, Chesterfield
Our Commitment
“To provide a young person with a genuine home, a consistent team of adults, meaningful relationships and the opportunity to build a positive future.”
We want every young person to know that their voice matters, that they will be listened to and that the adults around them genuinely want the very best outcomes for their life. Specialist solo care. Consistent relationships. A young person at the centre of everything we do.