What is a Residential Family Assessment Centre?

27 June 2025

A Simple Explanation for Parents and Carers: 

If you've just found out that you and your child are coming to Dudley Lodge, a residential family assessment centre, it's completely normal to feel unsure, overwhelmed or even a bit frightened. You might be wondering what it is, why you’ve been referred, and what will happen once you're there. This guide might help make things a little clearer.

Firstly, what is it?

A residential family assessment centre is a place where families stay for a short period of time, usually around 12 weeks, so that professionals can understand how things are going between parents and their children.

It's not a hospital or a prison. It’s more like a shared living space with private, self-contained flats for each family, and some communal areas. This gives families a safe, supportive environment where they can be observed, guided, supported and assessed, with the overall aim of figuring out what’s best for the child.

Who is it for?

Families are usually referred to a residential centre by the local authority (like social services), or sometimes through the court, when there are concerns about a child’s safety or wellbeing. But there’s real hope that with the right support, understanding and time, families will grow stronger and stay together.

Most of the time, the parents we meet love their children deeply. But life has been hard, or complicated. There might be worries about past trauma, mental health, substance use, or parenting skills. The assessment is there to get a fuller picture of what's really going on, not just based on paperwork or assumptions, but on real-life interactions.

What happens during your assessment?

While you're living at Dudley Lodge (Coventry) or Bonner House (Birmingham), trained staff will observe daily life with your child, how you feed them, comfort them, play with them, keep them safe. They’re not looking for perfection, but they're paying attention to patterns over time.

Alongside the observations, you might have key work sessions, parenting support, or group activities depending on the centre. You’ll also be encouraged to reflect on your own experiences and challenges, and to think about how they might be affecting your parenting.

All of this helps the staff build a fair, balanced assessment and one that highlights all your strengths as well as any concerns.

What is the aim?

At the heart of it, the goal is to understand what your child needs to be safe and well and if that can be met in your care. For some families, the assessment leads to more support and the chance to move forward together. For others, it may lead to decisions about alternative care. Either way, the hope is that everyone involved can move forward with more clarity, and that the child’s needs stay front and centre.

It’s okay to have mixed feelings

We know this isn’t something any parent dreams of doing. You might feel angry, confused, embarrassed, scared, or all of those. That’s okay, it’s a lot to take in. But knowing what to expect can help, and knowing that everyone here will support you and not judge you, can make a difference.

If you have any questions, just ask. And if things feel tough, be honest about it - staff will support you, help you be the parent your child needs, and work with you towards a stronger future.

You can find out more about our centres and what to expect in our videos and guides for residents.