A Tour Inside Norden Hills Family Centre
Welcome to Norden Hills Family Centre, a residential family assessment centre in Rochdale that works with families at a crucial point in their lives. The centre provides supported residential assessments for up to five families at any one time, in a safe, structured environment where parents and children can be observed, supported, and guided.
This tour gives you a sense of the centre, how it operates and the spaces where daily life and professional assessment take place.
The Office and Daily Planning
Our tour begins in the office. This is where the staff team organise their day and make key decisions. Staff typically start around 8.00am with a handover meeting. This gives the incoming team a clear picture of what is happening with each family and helps plan the day ahead.
The office is also the place where families can speak to the manager or the shift lead if they need support, have questions about their assessment, or want to discuss routines and plans.
At Norden Hills Family Centre, this space supports constant communication between staff, and enables professional oversight of each family’s progress.
The Dining Area
Next, we come to the dining area. This shared space is where families eat lunch and dinner and spend informal time together. It is a relaxed environment that also supports social interaction.
Children’s books are available for reading and there are board games that staff bring out for games nights. These shared activities help families build daily routines while giving staff opportunities to observe interaction in a natural setting.
Family Bedrooms
At Norden Hills Family Centre, bedrooms are named after flowers to create a calm, welcoming atmosphere.
Each family has their own room that is large enough for a parent, a partner and up to two children. In your example bedroom there is a double bed for parents, a baby bed and an en suite bathroom, which makes night time care easier, especially for parents with infants.
These rooms are designed to feel homely while enabling staff to support parents and observe family life as part of the residential assessment. Families are encouraged to personalise their rooms and make them their own during their stay.
The Kitchen and Shared Meals
The kitchen is an important space in the centre. Families use it to prepare meals and make feeds for their babies. Each family has their own allocated fridge, clearly marked, so they know exactly what belongs to them.
Staff conduct regular safety checks on fridges as part of hygiene and safeguarding practices.
Families often come together to cook and share meals, especially on Friday evenings or at a Sunday roast. These shared moments offer opportunities for parents to demonstrate practical parenting skills, planning and cooperation as part of their wider assessment.
Outdoor Garden Space
Norden Hills Family Centre has a large garden area. Parents and children enjoy this space, particularly in the summer when the weather is warm.
Children play while parents engage with them, and staff support this interaction. With staff assistance, families sometimes have barbecues, which can be positive shared experiences and provide informal opportunities for observing family dynamics.
There is also a designated smoking area outside where parents who smoke cigarettes or vape can take a break without affecting other families or children.
Training and Meeting Room
The centre includes a dedicated room used for staff training sessions. On training days you might find 10 to 15 members of staff attending professional development workshops. Training is a key part of maintaining a high standard of care and assessment practice.
This room also serves an important function for professional meetings. It is where parent assessment sessions take place and where social workers, solicitors or legal guardians can meet with staff in private to discuss progress and next steps.
These private spaces help ensure discussions are constructive, confidential and centred on the family’s needs.
Supporting Professional Assessment
Norden Hills Family Centre accepts referrals from Local Authorities, Courts and Social Care Departments.
The centre’s residential assessments are delivered by highly experienced social workers and are designed around each family’s individual needs. These assessments are intensive and provide detailed insight into daily family life, parenting capacity and areas where support may be needed. Norden Hills Family Centre
Once an assessment is complete, the social work team will provide an expert opinion and formal report for the court or placing authority.
A Setting that Blends Assessment with Family Life
Residential family centres like Norden Hills exist to support families while carrying out robust, professional assessments. The environment aims to be as close to everyday family life as possible, while giving trained staff the ability to observe, engage and provide expert guidance.
For social workers, legal professionals and partner agencies, understanding the layout and purpose of these spaces helps give context to reports, observations and decisions that follow a family’s stay.
