Residential Family Assessment
Our residential family assessment centre provides a safe environment for parents who have had difficulties in caring for their children. We offer tailored packages to meet the needs of each individual family’s needs.
We promote and assess parenting skills to ensure that children are safe and protected and offer families an opportunity for intensive support to help them recognise the needs of their children. Safeguarding vulnerable children is our prime focus and the clarity of our assessments inform the referrers whether a child’s needs can be adequately met by parents or carers, or whether there is a need for intervention and alternative care arrangements that will secure the longer term future for the child.
A safe space
Our centre provides a safe space for families to undergo the assessment for anything up to 12 weeks. Each family receives personalised support to their situation with the team utilising a range of assessment tools to minimise subjectivity. Our aim is to work with all those involved in the lives of children, to provide and plan for their best possible care and the longer term future. We want to give families the maximum opportunity to settle and focus on the care of their child without feeling overwhelmed.
We are recognised for creating exceptional levels of communication with parents who have a strong sense of what is going well, what staff are worried about and what needs to happen next. This ensures there are no surprises at any time. One parent said break 'kind of believed in me when I didn't believe in myself'.
Developing parenting and life skills
Whilst we need to write a final report our aim is to provide encouragement, tips and guidance in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere. We are proud that some families have said Break 'saved me and my baby. I wish I could stay.
Whilst parents are with us they receive extensive support to develop their parenting and life skills. Our team assist parents with applying for benefits, budgeting, cooking and housing advice. As well as helping parents learn the importance of good food hygiene, nutrition and kitchen safety.
Many parents speak positively about their placement at Hazeldene many years later and how Break have helped them with their parenting, making a real difference to them and their children and helping break the cycle of placing children into the care system.
If you would like to talk to Break about referring a child or young person to this or one of our other services please contact us or email a referral to referrals@break-charity.org today.