Oaktree Resource Centre for children in care

Supporting children and families

The Think Family Service offers a variety of interventions, assessments and supervised family time to children and their families. The Think Family Service helps children and families identify solutions to challenges in their lives and empowers them to make positive changes.

We support children in care by providing a safe place for them to meet members of their birth family, and others who have been important in their lives.

Family Time

Family Time (previously known as supervised contact) is a special opportunity for children in care to spend quality time with their birth family.

Why is Family Time important?

• It helps children maintain a sense of identity and connection with their family.
• It supports emotional wellbeing and long-term relationships.

How does it work?

• Arranged by the child’s Social Worker in partnership with the Think Family Service.
• The frequency, duration, and location (including whether it can take place in the community) are agreed in advance.
• Family Time Supervisors support the sessions and help maintain positive relationships in a safe and structured way.

What offer of family time can we provide?

In House Family time:

When family time is at Oaktree Family Centre you will have the use of one of the rooms that we have to offer. There are many different activities that can be set out for you and your child/ren to enjoy during your time here and we would encourage you to arrive a little earlier to get prepared for your family time session.

You will be met by the Family time supervisor on your arrival and be taken to the family room, giving you time to set up any toys and activities that your child may be interested in, ready for when they arrive.

Family time supervisors can help you to choose suitable activities and give you guidance around play if it is needed.

Community Family Time:

Family time within the community can only be offered if this is agreed in exceptional circumstances by your child’s Social Worker or the Court.

A Risk Assessment is required in order to ensure that community family time is an enjoyable experience for the whole family and one whereby the best interests of the child are maintained.

There is a list of approved community venues in Thurrock that have been identified which will be considered for Family time in the first instance. The Oaktree Family Centre will need to be notified 10 working days in advance of the scheduled family time date the agreed venue, if the agreed venue is not received 10 days prior, then a venue will be at the Oaktree Family Centre.

In order to ensure that family time is enjoyable for all, we would also ask that people who have not been approved to attend should not join the family time session as this is likely to lead to the Family time being terminated.

We would encourage all our families to liaise directly with the Oaktree Family Centre, staff and managers to ensure that family time is as positive as possible.

Facilities

At Oaktree Family Centre we offer the following facilities that you may be able to use.

Kitchen – Oaktree Family Centre has a working kitchen that you can use to prepare food for your family time session or with your children, if you want to bake cakes for example. If you would like to use the kitchen, you will need to inform the Family time supervisor beforehand, so that this can be booked prior to your arrival.

Garden – Oaktree Family Centre has a garden area, where there is play equipment for children to use. It is weather dependent if the garden is open and if it is hot then Family time supervisors will only permit the use of the garden if the children have appropriate protection from the sun. Similarly, to the use of the kitchen, the garden also needs to be booked prior to being used, so please inform the Family time supervisor if you would like to use the garden.

Prior to any use of the garden or kitchen area, a risk assessment will need to be completed by the Family time supervisor to ensure this safe for you and your child/ren.

Various resources (arts and sensory) – There are various resources available to use in the centre, such as arts and crafts, board games and sensory toys. You will be shown what resources are available during your induction and this is why we encourage you to arrive 15 minutes earlier, so you can utilise the resources available to you.

Sensory room – Oaktree Family Centre now has a fantastic sensory room that parents and carers can book to use. Please speak to the Family time supervisors, if this is something you would like to use as part of your family time session.

Rooms for meetings/assessments – There are also rooms available within the centre that can be booked for meetings and/or assessment sessions. You may be asked to attend the centre for Looked After Children’s Reviews or for Parenting Assessment sessions, which is something we can facilitate in addition to family time sessions.

You can view a video tour of the Oaktree Family Centre, below:

Read more information about the Oaktree Family Centre: