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The Rowans is a day opportunity service providing person-centred support for people over the age of 18 with a variety of care and support needs.

The Rowans is single-storey and equipped with accessible bathrooms and ceiling track hoists across the service.  The outside area is fully accessible, with seating areas, two pergolas, various flower and planting beds, and a polytunnel area used during nature and gardening sessions.

Pathways at The Rowans

The Rowans offers three pathways that support people to build skills in different ways: 

  • Lilibets Pathway (named by the people who attend) is designed for quieter, relaxed-paced sessions and activities, with a focus on memory work, gentle movement and life-story creation.
  • Lifeskills Pathway focuses on developing and maintaining skills for independence by building on people's strengths. It includes work-based activities and community inclusion.
  • Focus Pathway provides a higher level of support for people with more complex needs relating to mobility, behaviour, communication and interactions.  A person's day can be part of the Focus Pathway or involve tailored 1:1 sessions. 
All pathways have access to:
  • A people-run café: serving visitors attending meetings and training. This experience helps people develop skills they can use in future paid work. 
  • Upcycling sessions: people learn skills to restore unused items, promoting accomplishment and confidence. Items may be sold to to raise funds for future projects and could support pathways into paid work.
  • Computer suite: used for newsletters, computer skills and multimedia sessions.  These sessions develop people’s computer skills, including learning about online and social media safety.
  • Accessible training kitchen: supports the development of cooking skills, including international and sensory cooking sessions.
  • Sensory room: designed to meet sensory needs and support prescribed mobility, stretching and exercise programmes.
  • Art and craft room: where group projects and individual creative skills are developed.
  • Reminiscence and brain-training sessions: supporting people with acquired brain injury or dementia to support their memory and cognition skills.
  • Music, dance, drama and gentle exercise sessions: promoting wellbeing, movement and creativity.
  • Wellness sessions: supporting people to stay safe and healthy.
  • Level, accessible grounds: used for gardening and nature sessions.  People grow flowers for the grounds and to sell at our events, vegetables for cooking sessions, and learn about and support our local wildlife.

Supporting active community involvement

  • Eco-Warriors and Beach-Cleaning helps to preserve our beautiful town and coastline, while educating people about environmental issues.
  • Community links and walking sessions helps people build knowledge of our local area and increase confidence for people when interacting outside of the service. This also helps to promote and form positive links with organisations and businesses in Worthing, accessing community hubs and resources (e.g., Dementia Worthing, libraries, in and outdoor gyms, and Buddies Café).
  • Community based Makaton Choir.
  • Travel training helps people increase independence and improve safety skills and awareness when travelling in the community.

What people say about The Rowans

People supported at The Rowans

“I feel very safe at The Rowans.” 

"People at The Rowans are supportive and listen to me.”

“I am really happy here and settling down alright.”

“When I come to The Rowans, I feel safe and protected, I feel able to talk to the staff and they help me.”

Families, carers and professionals

“Discussions with the people are had on a one to one or group basis about their wants/wishes and development needs. These are listened to and where possible reflected in the programme offered.”

“The staff are externally caring and abundantly aware of their client’s wellbeing, feeding back to me if they have any issues which can be monitored jointly. It’s a very joined up service.”

“All the time, support is second to none.”

“They are superb advocates for the rights of the individual, very clear that they follow best practice.”

Staff

“I have always felt heard and respected, and we are a great working team able to consider others’ views and work on them. I feel my suggestions and support is appreciated and this helps me to feel confident to continue contributing.”

“I love my job and I do feel as though I and my colleagues make a huge difference to the lives of those we support and their families.”

“Staff are kind and supportive… I would recommend this service.”

“The staff are caring and provide a lovely working environment for people.”

Find out more

For an informal discussion, and to find out more, please contact us.

Manager: Michael Page-Hammond

The Rowans
Steeple Close
Worthing
BN13 1RP

Phone: 01903 276861

If you would like to be supported at The Rowans, please complete the online form. Or you can contact us at:

Email: socialcare@westsussex.gov.uk
Phone: 01243 642121
Calls using Relay UK: 18001 01243 642121
(for deaf callers from a textphone or the NGT Lite app downloaded onto a computer, tablet or smartphone)

Last updated: 30 January 2026