Following discharge from hospital, we are in a position to offer a ‘Place of Safety’ (at both Centres) to prevent a mother and their new born baby being separated whilst waiting for a court hearing to determine the baby’s immediate future.

We undertake comprehensive family assessment/intervention programmes with parents to ascertain their ability to care safely for a child. A comprehensive family assessment includes the evaluation of many risk factors. In addition, the family’s strengths and protective factors are assessed to indentify resources that can support the family’s ability to meet its needs and better protect the child/ren.

All assessments are guided by ‘Assessment Requirements’ as identified on the Referral Form received. Comprehensive family assessments always consist of two elements i.e. parenting assessment and risk assessment.

We provide flexible services from both centres undertaking combinations of assessments in order to meet the needs of children and their families. We can work with a range of timescales and will tailor make assessment in varying formats to meet these needs in consultation with professionals.

We conduct viability assessments in a variety of ways via any of the following:-

• Paper assessment (case papers)
• Day Viability assessment
• In the community
• Residentially
• Within our specialist Foster Home

These assessments give an independent opinion in relation to an assessment plan.
There are differing viability assessment options to choose from depending upon the families circumstances. We are more than happy to discuss these with you. Alternatively click this link for a fuller description.

A range of residential assessments ranging from 4 to 12 weeks. Parents live residentially at Dudley Lodge as they do in their own homes. Dudley Lodge has 10 flats, 2 and 3 bedrooms. Flats can be adapted to provide 3 and 4 bedroom units. All flats are fully furnished and well equipped. We employ a range of assessment techniques including 24 hour surveillance for high risk cases where felt appropriate.

Assessments undertaken within the family home where children are resident with the family or in the care of the local authority. This type of assessment minimises disruption for the child. We provide supervision at times deemed most ‘risky’ for the children e.g. early mornings, evenings and weekends. Again these assessments can be tailor made to suit the individual needs and requirements of each family.

Also in-house community based assessments can be carried out within a residential setting, this is particularly helpful when a parent do not have their own accommodation.

A more cautious option of assessment where there is significant concern or hesitation regarding placing a child back into their family’s care. This type of assessment is appropriate if it is not felt safe to undertake a community based assessment. This also limits disruption to school age children where assessments can be carried out at weekends and school holidays. Provision of ½ or full day sessions are available and where appropriate overnight stays can be arranged.

These are undertaken within a self-contained flat. Contact between a child and family members can be fully supervised and assessed by our experienced staff, gathering quality information regarding child and parent interaction, relationships, parenting etc. Supervised and Assessed Contact can take place after school and/or at weekends.

Staff members from both centres have been trained by nationally recognised Clinical Psychologist in the field of working with parents with learning disabilities, Dr Sue McGaw with the PAMS assessment (Parent Assessment Manual). This type of assessment covers many ‘parenting skill’ areas broken down into testable components underpinned from evidence based assessments. About 30% of the families we work with one or both parents experience a learning difficulty. We have many years experience in this area and have a good reputation of offering tailor made assessments geared at a level to work with the parents.

We work in partnership with The National Fostering Agency and a very skilled Family Assessor who undertakes intensive family assessments within her home. The family home is unique in that it provides the parent and child with their own living areas with ‘on tap’ support and guidance. This format is ideal for parents that are not best placed within a residential setting.

In the addition to the assessment of a parent’s ability to meet their children’s various needs, we provide an assessment of parent’s ability to protect and the risk they pose to their child/ren. Protection work is carried out via group work and individual sessions. The latter are clearly more individually tailored to the family. Work will focus on specific issues of the family, their history, incidents/patterns of failure to protect. Work entails many formats; direct discussion, pictorial materials, role play, scenarios etc.

Also to complement protection work, self esteem work is also conducted that includes various sessions and topics on reducing stress levels, family violence, taking care of your physical

We have contracts with Relate who provide surgeries at both centres. They assist men and women with a range of sessions from domestic violence, violence and abuse and also look at relationships, behaviour and attitude towards their partner.

We work in schools, providing support and education for children about protecting themselves, understanding safe behaviour and identifying their support networks. We undertake group sessions within the school setting but can also offer this work for a child on an individual basis.

The Chief Executive offers free telephone consultation with Social Workers, team Managers, Family Court Advisers and Solicitors regarding family assessment. He has 28 years of experience working with children and families incorporating 18 years experience of managing family assessment centres. He will give an independent opinion in relation to assessment options for vulnerable children and their families. He will also attend formal meetings (free of charge) to discuss cases and assessment options when he has been involved in a paper viability.