Family Assessments

We provide residential family assessments for up to five families at any one time at our residential family centre located in Rochdale.

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Extensive Assessments

Our assessments, which provide intensive care and support to safeguard at-risk children, on average run for a period of 12 – 18 weeks although programs can be tailored to be shorter or longer depending on specific needs.

Unique and Tailored Approach

Each family staying at our centre has an individual program to care for their child or children. 

We value the integrity and individuality of our families and understand that one size does not fit all. Tailored support is available for daily tasks such as cleaning, cooking, shopping, attending meetings, and other essential parenting responsibilities. Our highly experienced social work team is available to support families 24 hours a day.

Social work assessment team

Our social work assessment team are experts in working with families that have complex and entrenched difficulties. Parents typically involved in assessments include those:

  • with learning disabilities
  • with mental ill-health who have a history of substance or alcohol misuse
  • who have been victims of coercive control, abuse, neglect or violence
  • who are very young and struggling
  • who have experienced trauma and/or bereavement in their life
  • whose parents have not protected them from harm due to their own needs.

Although social workers or solicitors often refer parents with babies or young children under one, Norden Hills Family Centre will carry out assessments of parents with older children too.

After an assessment, whether residential or non-residential, our social workers provide an expert opinion which includes recommendations on what parents need to do going forward to meet the needs of their children. At the end of an assessment, we produce a formal report for the courts that concludes the output and recommendations which could be:

  • The parent goes home with their child/ren.
  • The parent goes home with significant support.
  • The child should be cared for by an alternative carer i.e. assessed family member or friend.
  • The child should be placed for adoption.

We provide a full range of supporting services for our family assessments which includes:

  • 1:1 support and monitoring
  • Additional waking night staff
  • Supervised contact in unit with report
  • Contact Supervisor off unit with report
  • Supervised contact without report (monitoring only)
  • Child care (while parents attend external activities, meetings, court etc)
  • Escorting duties
  • Attendance at court
  • Integrative Psychotherapist/Psychodynamic Counsellors
  • Drug testing

Professional assessments, completed by highly dedicated social workers with years of experience, combined with honest and clear feedback on the actions necessary to change unacceptable, aggressive, abusive or neglectful behaviour is at the centre of an approach that has obtained the respect and trust of attending parents.

Our dedication and professionalism, combined with highly competitive pricing and high-quality local accommodation, make Norden Hills Family Centre the preferred residential centre for many placing social workers and solicitors.

Tailored assessments unique to each family

If you would like to speak to us for further details on Norden Hills Family Centre or to refer a family for assessment, please complete our referral form. A member of our team will respond to you within 48 hours.

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