Set in Cambridgeshire countryside, down narrow winding roads, Glebe House is a therapeutic community for 15- to-19-year-old boys with a history of sexually harmful behaviour.
There is a feeling of refuge and serenity on this Quaker-run estate. Its beautiful gardens feature a wooden bridge over a rippling stream, symbolising the transition residents make. All have sexually abused other children and nearly all were abused or neglected themselves. Through a combination of therapy, community activities and education, they are helped to come to terms with their experiences and reduce risks to themselves and others. The setting is rated "outstanding" by Ofsted.
Peter Clarke, director of Friends Therapeutic Community Trust (FTCT) which runs Glebe House, can see "no rhyme or reason" behind whether boys arrive at the setting via the criminal justice system or children's services. He has seen the proportion coming from the secure estate rising to around two thirds, from around one third 10 years ago. "We're getting the same young people as 10 years ago, with the same issues, but with 18 months of young offender institution experience, making them more resistant and defensive," he explains.
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