Future Plans
2010 JCoSS Special Resource Provision is a 50-place Special Resource Provision which is planned as part of a new inclusive Jewish secondary school (JCoSS) due to open in Barnet in 2010.
A Brief History
2009 The Tager Centre, a purpose built individual residential service for 16 adults with learning disabilities and profound autism with each service user being offered individualised support opened in February 2009.
2008
Opened at Ravenswood in December 2008,
The Pamela Barnett Centre provides a home for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities who will benefit from facilities designed to accommodate wheelchairs. The adapted environment will assist staff to support the mobility and personal care needs of residents.
2008 A new inclusive Nursery for children aged two and above opened in September 2008 at the Kennedy Leigh Centre will accommodate children who have disabilities or require additional support as well as children who do not have special needs.
2008 The Hope Charity, the London-based organisation supporting children with special educational needs, has joined Norwood’s umbrella of children and family services.
2008 Cherie Blair's first engagement as Norwood’s Patron of Children’s Services is to officially open Wellbeing at Bearsted at the end of January. Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, also attends along with representatives from the Orthodox Community and Norwood’s partners on the project.
2007 Oakfield Link is converted to new facility in April, providing six adults with a learning disability supported accommodation in line with their wishes to move from registered housing and become more independent.
2007 The Wellbeing Centre opens adjacent to the Hackney Somers Children & Family Centre, offering health and well-being services to the local Jewish Community, in partnership with the City & Hackney NHS Primary Care Trust and Woodberry Down Children’s Centre.
2006 Novi Dom a new service pioneered by Norwood and WJR is the first ever respite care facility and educational resource in Minsk for children over the age of eleven with learning disabilities.
2006 The Sensory Garden at The Kennedy Leigh Centre opens giving children with a range of disabilities the opportunity to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of a working garden – with the added incentive of getting their hands dirty and looking after it themselves. Named after Lea Timothy, a former Norwood employee who sadly died after a brief illness in 2005.
2003 Norwood Binoh launch the Parent Advisory Telephone Helpline PATH, for free initial advice and information for parents concerned about any aspect of their children's progress or development. The helpline is operated by members of Binoh's educational psychology team.
2002 The Pears Wing for Children opens at The Kennedy Leigh Centre in Hendon offering a specialist child-based support centre with services for children and their families where they can enjoy confidential access to all the expert help and advice they need. It was named in recognition of a generous donation from the Pears family.
2002 Norwood Ravenswood re-brands to become Norwood: Children and Families First and establishes five service divisions: Ravenswood Village, Learning Disability Services, Special Education Services, Children & Family Services and Fostering & Adoption Services.
2001 Norwood Ravenswood expertise in the field of childcare is recognised as it is appointed to operate the Adoption Register for England and Wales, on behalf of the Government and the Welsh Assembly Government. The contract ran for three years.
1999 Norwood Ravenswood opens two new family centres – The Leonard Sainer Children & Family Centre in Redbridge and The Somers Children & Family Centre in Hackney. The family centres social work teams offer counselling and support to over 700 families experiencing social difficulties or affected by disability.
1997 The Karten Centre, a specialist learning centre that provides computer-led education to people with disabilities of all kinds, is opened at Ravenswood.
1996 Norwood and Ravenswood merge to create Norwood Ravenswood, the largest Jewish organisation in Europe specialising in children and family care.
1995 Oakfield Link set up to provide temporary supported bed-sit accommodation to homeless young adults.
1993 Buckets & Spades Lodge, a short term break (respite care home) for children with special needs, established as a joint facility with Ravenswood.
1992 The last Family House closed. Two semi-independent units for young people were created to enable young people to learn to become independent.
1991 Binoh joins Norwood incorporating a special education and therapy service to support learning and development for pupils in mainstream schools.
1990 Norwood Family Centre opened in Hendon, offering practical advice and support to families in difficulty. Binoh moves to the centre.
1990 Koleinu (Our Voice) established – a new project for hearing-impaired Jewish young people and their families.
1988 Norwood Jewish Adoption Society established – the only Jewish adoption agency in the UK.
1985 Parry House opens, Norwood’s first registered residential home for adults with learning disabilities opens in North East London.
1984 Norwood embarks on a Jewish fostering project to find foster homes for Jewish families and appoints the first Fostering Recruitment Officer.
1983 Rav Tov, a drop-in centre for Orthodox mothers and toddlers opens in Stamford Hill.
1982 Norwood and the Jewish Welfare Board open the Redbridge Jewish Family Service, a new welfare facility providing family support for the local community.
1980’s Local authorities became reluctant to place children in non-state residential care, preferring fostering or their own Children’s Homes. Only three family homes remained by the mid-80’s.
1970's Family Houses move to North London. Norwood sold. Norwood Domiciliary service established, using Social workers and Child Development Advisers to support and advise children and families.
1967 Norwood incorporated the childrens’ welfare services formerly provided by the Jewish Board of Guardians (Jewish Welfare Board).
1966 Norwood establishes a Hostel for Unmarried Mothers.
1964 Norwood takes on Highbury House Babies’ Home and other child welfare services formerly provided by the Jewish Welfare Board.
1961 Norwood acquired nine houses, and 100 children are accommodated in the family homes to give children a homely environment with the affection and security they needed. Norwood Orphanage is demolished. A new synagogue and assembly hall is built in its place.
1958 Ravenswood Village expands with the purchase a second home for older boys and a farm outside Crowthorne.
1957 Norwood Family Houses established in the neighbourhood between 1957 and 1961, enabling small numbers of boys and girls to live as family groups with their house parents.
1956 The Jewish Orphanage changed its name to Norwood Home for Jewish Children.
1953 Ravenswood residential school established when a house in Crowthorne was purchased by four families to provide care and education for four 11 year old boys and sows the seeds for Ravenswood Village. The parents founded the Jewish Association of Parents of Backward Children which later became known as The Ravenswood Foundation.
1945 Return to Norwood, with children now attending local schools.
1939 Evacuation – first to Worthing, then to Hertford.
1928 Norwood renamed The Jewish Orphanage.
1911 Arnold and Jane Gabriel Home for 50 5-8 year olds opened, increasing the number of children at Norwood to about 400.
1900 Norwood school under the auspices of The Department of Education, leading to improved status and teaching standards.
1897 Major extensions to Norwood – Centenary Hall and new wings added to enable the institution to accept more children.
1890 Orphan Aid Society established to collect funds for the Jews’ Hospital and Orphan Asylum.
1883 Aftercare Committee established to supervise the welfare of Norwood school-leavers.
1876 Amalgamation of the Jews’ Hospital and the Jews’ Orphan Asylum to create The Jews’ Hospital and Orphan Asylum at Norwood.
1866 Move to Norwood.
1860 By 1860 there were 100 boys and 40 girls enrolled in the Jews Hospital and Orphans Asylum. The buildings had become run down and the hospital needed a new location.
1831 Jews’ Orphan Asylum established.
1807 The Jews’ Hospital (Nvei Tsedek) opened in Mile End.
1795 Fund started for relief of Ashkenazi poor in London.
