The Knowl - Abingdon Oxfordshire

The Knowl is a 20 bedded Project, based in the centre of Abingdon with shops and numerous facilities nearby. The unit is registered for service users aged 18-65 years, each with a past/present mental illness, some with a forensic history. The Knowl is a large house, comfortably furnished and well maintained. Each resident has their own bedroom, many of which have an ensuite shower and toilet. There are 3 communal lounges and a large dining room. The house is open and friendly, service users are free to come and go as they please, but need to inform staff if they intend to stay out past 11 pm.

The Project has a core community of 17 service users with a move on cluster flat for 3 people. The cluster flat is fully self-contained and aims to provide a short term experience of more independent living prior to discharge from The Knowl. The house also has one alternative to hospital bed where residents in crisis can stay for a maximum of four weeks.

The house runs on therapeutic community principles. Every service user plays an important part in the decision making processes within the house and each individual has a personal responsibility to the community as a whole. Through the development of individualised care programmes, service users progress through the process of rehabilitation with the ultimate aim of achieving the level of independence necessary to live in the wider community. The Knowl's clients tend to stay between 18 months and 3 years on average, before moving on to more independent accommodation.

Staff at The Knowl try to guard against institutionalisation by developing a relatively fluid and stimulating social environment without unnecessary structure. External socialisation features positively in the team's approach to rehabilitation: - service users are frequently accompanied to the shops, cafes, cinemas and museums nearby, as well as taking an annual holiday. Unaccompanied service users make use of such facilities as day centres, therapeutic work experience centres and the local Activities Development Service.

Close co-operation is maintained with local psychiatric, social and voluntary services, which provides a continuity of care and support for our members after they have left The Knowl.

Former service users are welcome to return for support, to join in house activities, eating meals or perhaps coming for Christmas.

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