Hospital Site

Dewi Jones Unit

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The Dewi Jones Unit is an inpatient mental health facility for children and young people aged 5 – 14. 
It is part of Alder Hey but is located offsite in Waterloo. 
The unit offers a highly specialised service for the assessment and treatment of severe and complex mental health disorders in children.
Teachers are an integral part of the unit team, involved at all stages of patients’ admissions from referral to discharge, and work closely with medical staff to support patients to access education. 
The classroom provides a welcoming learning environment where, working within the national curriculum framework, children are taught in small groups or individually, as appropriate. 
Educational targets are tailored to children's specific needs and abilities. 

A recent BBC interview about the Alderhey's Dewi-Jones Unit.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-merseyside-57073152

‘Welcome to Sunflower House’ Animation Project
Students at the Dewi Jones Unit are currently taking part in an animation project led by Twin Vision. This project is part of an initiative that will involve the young people at the Dewi Jones and Sunflower House to help with the creation of an animation. The finished animation video will be made accessible and used in the future to showcase elements of the new Sunflower House building to visitors. It will aim to showcase the space available, the staff that they will come into contact with and activities that take place. Our young people have recently been activity involved in helping to design some of the different characters that will feature in the animation video, using their wonderful creativity skills. Sessions for the project have been taking place on a weekly basis, with support from Alder Hey Arts for Health Project and Children in Need.

Other activities
Pupils at The Dewi Jones Unit have been working with Matt Rutter a freelance drama specialist and Grace Goulding a movement director and choreographer. Matt and Grace attend the unit once a week and facilitate projects led by the young people’s interests. Pupils have been able to explore different areas of performing arts through the sessions including prop design, voice overs, blue screen work and script writing. The young people have been able to visit The Everyman Theatre in Liverpool on a number of occasions supported by Matt and Grace to find out how a modern theatre is run. The young people have been able to access all areas of the theatre including dressing rooms and the costume room. The young people had the opportunity to read through scripts that they had written on a stage with props at the Bistro at the theatre which was a fantastic confidence boosting experience for all.
 
Up and coming projects and trips
 
  • Home Safari – animal assisted therapy where the young people will have the chance to interact with a range of animals from tortoises and lizards to skunks and ponies.
 
  • Knowsley Safari Park – education sessions run on the Dewi Jones Unit by staff from the safari park’s education team. Young people are able to explore artefacts and learn about different animal families in an interactive way. The young people have also enjoyed trips to Knowsley Safari Park as part of the project. 

Contact us

Dewi Jones Unit
Part of Sandfield Park School
Alder Park
Park Road                                                              
Waterloo
Liverpool                                                                                     
L22 3XE

Tel: 0151 928 3888 Ext 6205