Information for Professionals
At Richmond House, our dedicated team of professionals is committed to providing personalised support through targeted interventions and workshops. These programmes are designed to develop essential parenting and life skills for families undergoing assessment. We always maintain a child-centred approach, ensuring that every family receives the highest quality of care and guidance throughout their time with us.
Service and assessment process
Richmond House provides comprehensive residential parenting assessments, accommodating up to 8 families in purpose-built facilities.
We provide families with high levels of supervision and support. Our independent assessments deliver court-compliant evidence and recommendations for care proceedings, alongside social work intervention and practical support.
What to expect from us
- Comprehensive 12-week parenting assessments
- Detailed weekly progress reports
- Evidence-based observations and evaluations
- Regular professional updates and consultations
- Clear recommendations based on thorough assessments
- Flexible admission arrangements
- Emergency placement availability
Our services
Residential Parenting Assessments
Our assessments follow a 6-12 week program and involve the use of modelling, teaching and social work interventions.
All assessments utilise multiple evidence-based tools including:
- Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (DoH, 2000)
- ParentAssess
- The Parenting Assessment Manual (McGaw),
- Baby PEEP
- Signs of Safety model.
Supervision levels
We offer direct 24 hour support by staff and CCTV with both audio and visual recording facilities.
Viability Assessments
Pre-placement assessment to determine suitability for residential assessment.
Day Support and Assessment
We are able to provide a service to supplement a Child in Need or Child Protection Plan by offering support to families with newborn babies and school age children. We can provide targeted intervention in areas such as keep safe work, child development, healthy relationships.
Supervised Family Time
We recognise the importance of developing and sustaining safe contact between children and their wider family. Our service allows for regular planned and safe contact to take place. All family time is supervised by our team, in which we undertake detailed observations and provide you with a record of this.
We are flexible about timings and venues. Whilst we have our own space that can be used for family time sessions, we are also able to transport families to venues within the southwest.
Community Based Assessments
We can also provide assessments of families in their own homes.
Referral Process
Eligibility Criteria for families requiring parenting assessment:
- Parents aged 16+
- Children aged 0-6 years
- Risk levels compatible with residential setting
Referral Requirements
- Completed referral form
- Recent assessments/reports
- Court orders/proceedings documentation
- Risk assessments
- Medical information
- Background chronology
Information about legal status/proceedings, family composition, assessment requirements, risk factors, timescales and funding arrangements.
Next Steps
- Initial consultation
- Placement availability check
- Documentation review
- Placement offer
- Pre-placement meeting
- Admission planning
- Assessment commencement
Timescales
- Initial response within 24 hours
- Placement availability update within 48 hours
- Emergency placements considered within 4 hours
- Assessment planning meeting within 2 working days
Making a Referral
Local Authorities can make referrals through:
- Direct contact with our placements team
- Contact our placements team to discuss availability and assessment requirements.