The nature-based residential treatment centre as an alternative model for meeting the needs of children and young people

This chapter describes a case example of alternative secure accommodation that uses nature-based educare to treat children with complex social, emotional, and learning difficulties and provides a different perspective and way of perceiving the needs of children and young people. Green Chimneys is a residential treatment centre in Putnam County, New York, in the United States which provides a unique, multi-faceted, intensive therapeutic programme for children age 6–13. The therapeutic programme at Green Chimneys is an example of trauma-informed practice and, as such, focuses on teaching emotional regulation and social skills while emphasising warm, accepting relationships between the residents and all the staff members. Due to the complex and variable profiles of Green Chimneys students, an emphasis is placed on individualised treatment programmes. Since psychological and behavioural disorders are the principal reason for referral, all students receive individual counselling services provided by a social worker, mental health counsellor, or school psychologist.