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Frequently Asked Questions

Families who have experienced living at the centre devised a list Frequently Asked Questions.

These are questions that they had themselves before beginning their assessment.

If you have any other questions for us then you can contact us.

Q: What do I have to bring with me? 

A: Your flat is ready for you to move into, all furniture, kitchen equipment, and a television is supplied. We will provide larger items for your baby i.e. a baby bath, cold water steriliser and highchair, but any other items your child/baby needs will need to be provided by yourself, i.e. toys, bouncer chair, pushchair etc.

You will need to bring your own and your child’s clothing and toiletries.

A small food welcome pack is provided for your first night at the centre.

You are welcome to bring personal effects, i.e. photographs and ornaments to make your flat feel more like your own home.

 

Q: Will I have to share my flat with other residents? 

A: You do not have to share any of your flat facilities with other residents; some flats have a shared corridor, but all rooms are private to your flat.

All flats have their own kitchen, bathroom, living room and bedroom. Residents have a shared laundry.

 

Q: Who works at Dudley Lodge and Bonner House? 

A: We employ a wide range of staff, each having relevant qualifications and experience.

We have a staff notice board in each  Centre, displaying staff photo’s and their role.

 

Q: Can I visit the centre before I move in? 

A: Of course, we actively encourage families to visit the Centre prior to moving in. You can arrange this through your Social Worker, or Solicitor.

At the request of a resident, we have included lots more photographs of both Centre’s on our website for families who live further away and are unable to visit prior to moving in.

You can view a gallery of our centres here.

 

Q: Can I smoke at the centre? 

A: We have an outside, covered smoking shelter for residents to use during their stay. For health and safety reasons, no smoking is allowed inside your flat, or any other areas of the building.

During the night, the Centre’s security system is in use, so unfortunately there is no smoking after 10pm.

 

Q: How long will I need to stay at Dudley Lodge or Bonner House? 

A: Every family’s circumstances are different and each will stay for different amounts of time. On average, a typical stay is between 6-12 weeks.

 

Q: Are you on camera/being filmed whilst living at the centre? 

A: We have CCTV in communal areas, i.e. the garden, landings, car park etc.

We also have CCTV cameras fitted in all our flats. If CCTV is required for your assessment, your consent will be obtained and we will clearly explain the reasons for this. When cameras are not in use within the flats, they will be fully covered and the audio monitoring will be switched off. 

You will not be under surveillance via CCTV cameras without your written consent to do so.  

 

 

Q: Do you offer any activities or events for residents? 

A: We have various groups that occur each week across both Centre’s, including a Resident’s Meeting, Stay and Play, a Cooking Club and Educational Groups (focusing on protection work and self esteem).

We hold social events to celebrate different cultural events, i.e. Easter, Eid, Diwali Thanksgiving, Christmas, Ramadan etc.

We also organise outings at various points through the year to local places of interest, i.e. Sealife Centre, Cadbury World, Drayton Manor etc.

 

Q: What is near Dudley Lodge? 

A: Dudley Lodge is a 10 minute walk from the city centre, and a 2-5 minute walk from bus services and the train station.

We have various shops nearby, and located in the City Centre is a soft play centre, swimming pool, cinema, ice skating rink and museums.

There are also several Sure Start centre’s that we access, a GP, dentist, and various Stay and Play groups. A full guide on the local area will be in your flat.

 

Q: What is near Bonner House? 

A: Bonner House is a residential setting in Bourneville which is 5 miles from Birmingham City Centre.

There are a number of local amenities near Bonner House and the supermarkets Sainsbury’s and Aldi are in close proximity. Katie Road GP and Health Visitors within walking distance as are local parks, schools, college’s and children’s activity centre’s.

There are two local train stations near Bonner House and a there are number of bus routes nearby this means the Centre is accessible to Birmingham City Centre and Northfield high street. Additionally there are banks, a post office and the job centre local to the area. 

 

Q: Can my friends/family visit me? 

A: We encourage friends and family to visit you during your time here, however all visitors must be approved by your Social Worker before they visit the centre.

 

Q: What does Dudley Lodge and Bonner House look like? 

Dudley Lodge and Bonner House look like this:

This is Bonner House

This is the outside of Bonner House

 

These are the play areas

 

These are our flats
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This is Dudley Lodge

 

This is the outside of Dudley Lodge

 

These are the play areas

 

These are our flats