The Cheshire House Group, which specialises in Residential Family Assessment Services, has almost completed its facility, based in Carshalton in Surrey.
Cheshire House is network of Residential Family Centres which provide specialist residential support and assessment services to families who are unable to sustain appropriate parenting skills, within their home, resulting in a situation where children are potentially at risk and intervention is necessary to ensure their safety and protection.
The centres offer a calm family orientated setting, providing a safe and secure environment for children whilst equipping parents with the appropriate skills to enable them to be responsible and independent so that a family life is possible when they return home.
The Carshalton centre caters for up to seven families in well-appointed, self-contained flats, which are comprehensively equipped for independent living. The Mother Centre in Sale has been established over ten years’ and achieved national recognition for its excellent work with families who have wide ranging needs and are from a broad social spectrum.
Unique to Cheshire Houses’ facility is round the clock supervision. This is available within the private living accommodation through audio and CCTV monitoring equipment, which can be used to observe situations where children may be at risk. There is also an intercom system within the living accommodation of each flat, enabling residents to contact members of staff if they have any concerns throughout the day or night.
The philosophy at Cheshire House is to offer innovative programmes of support and rehabilitation, which are designed to address the needs of both parents and children.
The service offered is tailored to each individual family, and aims to progress them through a development pathway, leading from an initial stage of ‘Full Observation’ through to ‘Partial Stand-back’ and on to ‘Full Stand-back’.
To provide this specialised service, Cheshire House has a highly skilled and experienced Family Development Team with a range of expertise to provide for the spectrum of needs including parents with learning difficulties, psychological problems, antisocial behaviour and drug and alcohol abuse.
A social worker and a key worker are assigned to each individual family to co-ordinate their placement and to be their main contact for the duration of their stay. Whenever necessary, Cheshire House supplements its ‘in house’ expertise with suitably qualified external professionals where necessary.
The Residential Assessment is based around the Department of Health Guidelines Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families. The priority is the protection of children, and the development of parenting skills within a safe, secure and sound environment.
Cheshire House is located within a residential community with a wide range of facilities and amenities to support family life, with the aim of enabling families to live life as though in the wider community.
Anne Marsden, Operations Director, says: “Cheshire House is a unique and pioneering initiative in the UK, and it is extremely fulfilling to have another centre scheduled for opening. The care provided is second to none, and we hope to help many more families rehabilitate, so they can live together in harmony. Of course, none of this would be possible without our amazing team of staff who believe in their work and the philosophy of the Cheshire House Group.”
For more information on the Cheshire House group and the Carshalton facility, please call 0161 962 4626 or visit the website at www.cheshirehousegroup.co.uk