ECL Benfleet - Hesten Day Centre

At ECL Benfleet (Hesten) we take every opportunity to access the local facilities to integrate our customers within the local community.

We are located within walking distance of local shops and a pub where we are made to feel very welcome.

A short car journey away are the towns of Benfleet, Hadleigh, and Rayleigh, offering an array of shops and cafes, libraries, garden centres, leisure centres, and parks, as well as a local church were we often participate in coffee mornings and craft activities.

We are fortunate in that we have easy access to both nearby countryside and the coast to enjoy regular strolls, fresh air, and stunning scenery.

At our centre we offer a range of activities designed to support customers to acquire or maintain valuable independence skills, work towards therapeutic goals, and enjoy social interaction with peers and members of the local community. Art therapy, pet therapy, sensory sessions and 'shop and cook' are just a few examples of our regular activities.

We offer ASDAN qualifications for those who enjoy a more structured approach to learning.

We have an extremely well equipped great sensory space. We also have a therapy room with a water bed, specialist standing equipment, and floor mats for passive stretching, allowing customers to take a vital break from their wheelchairs.

We periodically hold garden parties, tea parties, and demonstrations from our local fire brigade. Our events are often attended by pupils from the local primary and special schools, which is a great way of encouraging connections with our local community.

At ECL Benfleet (Hesten) we specialise in enhancing the lives of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities.

Many of our customers have mobility restrictions or are wheelchair users, and have healthcare conditions that require medication or medical intervention whilst they are in our care.

Our staff receive the specialist training they need to provide personalised care to the customers they are supporting, examples courses include autism awareness, communication difficulties, sensory awareness, behaviours that challenge, epilepsy, catheter care, diabetes, dysphagia and enteral feeding.

We can provide 1:1 and 2:1 levels of support with the appropriate care plan in place.

We have access to ECL's own in-house clinical team and benefit from their expert guidance in the areas of physiotherapy, occupational support, speech and language, and positive behaviour support. We work closely with the health professionals involved in a customer's care to ensure we are following the optimum care and therapy plans.

We liaise with family members, carers, and social care professionals to ensure that all aspects of a person's life are coordinated and the best they can be.