It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since the completion of our Centre extension and upgrade at Skybound HQ. What an amazing year it’s been! Not only have we been able to offer our 5 day Intensive programmes to more families than ever before, but we’ve also been able to help those with complex needs in new, more effective ways. We’re so excited to see the positive impact our new space and awesome equipment—like our body dryer and wash-dry toilet—have had on our clients.
As we’ve welcomed more families to the Care Farm, it’s become clear just how much demand there is for our tailored therapy services. With our expanded capacity, we knew it was time to bring someone on board to manage our growing Intensive offering. That’s when Sarah, our Clinical Lead, made the move to Pembrokeshire to take charge and ensure that each family gets the best possible care.
We sat down with Sarah to find out more. From personalised plans to overseeing our busy summer, Sarah’s passion for helping clients shines through in everything she does. Read on to find out how things have been going and what lies ahead for our Intensives!
Can you share a bit about your professional background and the work you’ve done at Skybound?
Sure, since around 2011, I’ve been working with a wide range of clients across the country. I started out doing functional behaviour assessments as a freelancer, and that’s actually how I first connected with Skybound. They brought me on for these assessments initially, and from there, my involvement grew steadily. I started working with more clients and expanded my services to include early learning, though my background was primarily in managing challenging behaviours.
Since those early freelancing days, I’ve been travelling the country, handling crisis cases and functional assessments in different locations. Honestly, I loved it—and still do! It’s a chance to explore new places, meet different people, and even build connections in the communities I frequent.
There’s one B&B I used to stay in every four to six weeks, run by an older couple. We built such a great relationship that, even when they closed for refurbishments, they’d still save a room for me. They’d pick me up from the station, drive me to my destination, and treat me like family. Those connections are special, and they really added a personal dimension to my work.
And beyond that, there are my clients, the families, and all the unique experiences you gain from travelling to these complex cases. Having that variety was an incredible way to grow and learn in the field.
What led you to shift from a more travel-focused role to managing the Intensives, and how has the experience been so far?
The travelling experience was fantastic, but I guess I’ve reached a point where a more stable role just feels right. After spending so many years going from place to place, it seemed like a natural progression to settle down and do more work based at the Centre.
For years, I jokingly called myself a ‘backpacking BCBA,’ since I was always on the go, living out of a suitcase and moving from one location to the next. I loved that freedom, but I think it was time to put down some roots, have a bit more stability, and get into a routine. So, when the Centre was expanding, it felt like the right moment to make the shift.
What’s amazing about this new role is that I still get a similar variety of clients. They’re coming from different places, each with unique needs and backgrounds, which brings that same variety I had when I was travelling. So, it’s like I get the best of both worlds: I stay in one place, but I still get that diversity and the chance to work with all kinds of people.
How has it been running the Intensive programmes this summer with the expanded Centre?
Since June, the Centre’s been really, really busy, and it’s been awesome! There’s just this energy—it’s so lively with different things going on for each client. For example, we might have an adult working on life skills, like the 17-year-old who was learning to make pancakes and follow a daily schedule to support his independence. Then, in the next room, there’s a 5-year-old working on speech and school readiness skills.
The following week, we could have someone focusing on physical skills, like one young man who visits often to work on walking, while another client might be here for toileting skills or medical desensitisation. We even have clients working on emotional well-being through acceptance and commitment therapy. So, in every room, there’s something different going on, and each client has unique needs.
What I love is being in the centre of all this, being able to switch between sessions, sometimes staying with one client, other times popping in to brainstorm with the BCBAs leading other Intensives. Now, instead of travelling to each BCBA, I’m just next door! I can check in during lunchtime and say, ‘Hey, how’s it going? Have you tried this?’ or ‘Let’s sit down and really think about what’s working and what’s not.’ It’s great to be able to help them develop their ideas right on the spot.
The whole place just buzzes with energy because we’ve got two clients and sometimes our domiciliary support clients pop in too, so we are all here together. All of us as staff are supporting each other, sharing knowledge, and creating these lively, varied sessions. It’s been awesome – exhausting, but awesome!
What are some of the professional and personal benefits you’ve noticed since making the move?
Professionally, it’s been great because now I’m able to connect with more people each day. Instead of just consulting one-on-one with a client or a single staff member, I’m in touch with multiple team members daily. Plus, I get all those different experiences we just talked about, switching between different cases and situations.
Personally, the biggest change has been getting a routine, which I’d never had before. For years, whenever people would talk about things they do weekly, like, ‘Oh, I go to Pilates every Tuesday,’ I’d think, ‘Well, I’ll never have a set schedule like that!’ I’ve usually enjoyed the variety, but having a routine has actually let me build personal skills in a way I hadn’t before. For instance, now that I’m in Pembrokeshire, I need to drive—no more train hopping like in West Yorkshire! So now every Tuesday, I have my driving lesson, and I can actually commit to it and build the skill consistently.
It’s funny, I’m finally experiencing what we always recommend to our clients: consistent practice. And I get to do it with my own goals! I’m also reading more—new research, books related to my clients—because I’m not always running around with train timetables in hand. I have more time to build up my own skills and knowledge, which has been fantastic.
How do you and the team prepare for such a busy period of back-to-back therapies?
That’s a really good question! We usually start each morning with a team check-in and chat about what we have lined up for the day. Then, after the clients leave, we’ll debrief—talk about what worked, what could be improved, and any research or prep needed for the next day. Good organisation and teamwork are essential. We divide tasks in the mornings to keep everything seamless. For example, one of us might work on a specific activity, like tabletop tasks, while someone else preps materials for the next session. We’re constantly delegating and checking in to make sure we cover everything.
A family might come in on Monday with a long list of goals. It’s wonderful to hear their enthusiasm, but we still only have one week! So, we’ll use our whiteboards to jot down the goals and keep track of what we’ve achieved and what still needs attention as the week goes on.
Another crucial step is setting clear priorities with the families right at the start. We’ll ask something like, ‘If you’re walking out on Friday, what do you really want to be taking with you? What’s that one or maybe two things that, if achieved, would make this week a success?’ This helps families zero in on their main goals and keeps the expectations grounded. And for us, it makes the week more focused. If we know exactly what they’d be disappointed not to accomplish, we can give that our energy, rather than trying to cover absolutely everything in a single week.
What strategies do you use to ensure each Intensive remains high-quality, especially during busy times?
There are a few key strategies that help us maintain a high standard across all Intensives, even when the schedule is packed. One major approach is focusing on highly individualised planning rather than ‘cookie-cutter’ interventions. Instead of saying, ‘This child needs speech and language work, so let’s just run a standard intervention,’ we look deeply into their specific goals and preferences. Each Intensive is designed around the client’s unique needs rather than following a set template.
Another is maintaining continuity within the team. For each programme, we ensure that at least one team member is dedicated to that client for the majority of the week. This way, there’s always someone who fully understands the client’s progress and can adapt the sessions accordingly. If a client responds better to certain activities or shows new preferences, that dedicated team member is there to guide those adjustments day-to-day. It avoids the disruption of rotating staff and allows us to respond dynamically rather than rigidly following a set plan.
We also make a point of ongoing research. Throughout each Intensive, we’re constantly reading, consulting new studies, and looking for the latest approaches that might benefit the client. This means if something isn’t working, we don’t just stick with it. Instead, we research alternatives, design new strategies, try them the next day, and track the data to see what’s effective. Over the course of the week, this iterative approach allows us to refine our methods and create something bespoke that the client can continue to use well after they leave. It’s all about creating a custom-fit experience that responds to their real-time progress rather than just using the same therapy model for everyone.
Can you share any particularly memorable or rewarding moments from the recent summer Intensive sessions?
Oh, there have been so many memorable moments—it’s been quite emotional at times! One that stands out is from early in the summer. We worked with a 17-year-old who had been struggling with self-care tasks like showering, shaving, and brushing his teeth. He can do these things, but due to his autism, he often loses focus and gets stuck in repetitive behaviours, like playing with water or starting a task and forgetting what he was supposed to do next. Over time, he’d just wait for reminders, which led to him not doing things independently.
We’d already tried all the usual approaches, like visual schedules and chaining, but they weren’t sticking. So, we decided to create a unique, engaging strategy tailored to him. We recorded one of his favourite songs and synced it with the steps of his shower routine. He’d play the song as he got into the shower, and when the song ended, it would cue him to move on to the next step. This turned the whole routine into something he could enjoy—he wasn’t just being told what to do, he was engaged with music, and it kept him on track without any nagging. By the end of the week, he was able to complete the entire shower routine independently for the first time. It was such a rewarding moment to see him gain that independence, and it felt so positive for both him and his family.
Another recent experience that was really rewarding was with a care team for a client who lives in supported accommodation. We had the whole team come for training at our Centre, and it was amazing to see how engaged they were. We taught them a range of interventions, including acceptance and commitment therapy, to help them support the client more effectively in his daily life. It wasn’t just about working with the client for one week; the collaboration allowed us to equip his care team with tools they could use consistently, ensuring that the impact of our work would continue week in and week out. It felt incredibly fulfilling to know that we were making a difference not only in the short term but for the long-term well-being of both the client and his care team.
You mentioned toilet training as a significant part of your summer therapy sessions. Can you elaborate on how these Intensives are structured and the kind of progress you’ve seen?
Toilet training is a major area of focus for us. When we dedicate a full week to this goal, it can lead to significant progress for clients. We make sure to create a supportive, stress-free environment where families have all the equipment they need and where any accidents that might happen are no big deal. Our space is designed to be safe and comfortable—whether it’s using easily cleanable floors or having furniture that can handle any mess, we’ve got it covered. Plus, we set up a projector to make the bathroom a fun, engaging space, almost like a party room, which really helps make the process enjoyable for the client.
What we often see is a complete turnaround in just a week. We’ve had clients who started the Intensive not toilet trained at all, but by the end of the week, they were able to follow a toilet schedule, and some even learned to initiate the process themselves. This gives families a huge sense of relief, as they know their child can now go back to school or home with a new skill that will improve their independence.
One of the most rewarding things we’ve seen is clients who were not toilet trained when they left school, but after our intensive, they re-enter school in September with the ability to keep dry and follow a schedule. It’s incredibly fulfilling to know that these skills are not only developed during the week but also generalised so well into their everyday life, including at school.
It’s a big part of our work during the summer months, and the results can be life-changing for the clients and their families.
Looking ahead, what are your goals for the intensive programmes and the upgraded Centre?
We have some exciting plans for the future. One of our key goals is to incorporate more research into what we’re doing at the Centre. We want to gather more data and evidence that can help refine and improve our Intensive programmes. This research will allow us to offer even more effective interventions and continue to lead the way in this field.
Another area we want to focus on is expanding the therapeutic care approaches we offer. This includes working with individuals who may be at risk of exclusion or facing potential placements in residential or restrictive environments. The Centre can provide a peaceful, safe space where people can learn and develop new coping and communication skills without the pressures of a community environment. The goal is to help these individuals address the root causes of their challenges, which might involve dealing with behavioural or emotional difficulties. By doing so, we aim to give them the tools they need to stay in less restrictive environments, stay with their families longer, or maintain school placements. If we can support someone through that process, helping them get their lives back on track and avoid more restrictive settings in the future, that would be a huge success.
While we plan to continue offering Intensives in areas like toilet training, we’re also looking at how we can extend the use of the Centre for more complex cases that may not require full day opportunities or respite care. We want to be a resource for families who need a boost, who need to keep their loved ones at home and out of institutional care. That might involve offering more bespoke Intensives that focus on giving the family the support they need to maintain that living situation.
We also plan to keep improving our facilities and equipment, showcasing things like our specialised self-care and toileting equipment. We want to be a place that helps families navigate these challenges more easily, whether it’s through more tailored therapy or providing tools for day-to-day living skills.
In short, our mission remains the same: to provide support that helps people live fulfilling, independent lives. But as we look forward, we’re always thinking of ways to refine and expand our services to meet a wider range of needs.
Our 5 day Intensives often focus on speech, feeding, toilet training, challenging behaviour or social skills. A full programme overview, covering multiple skill areas is also available. Places are booking up fast for 2025 and even 2026, although we do still have some winter spaces available.
To find out more about our Intensives – click here
For enquiries or bookings email us
