Service Users

Rehabilitation Goals

• Achieve alcohol and drug free lives
• Overcome the issues that resulted from drug/alcohol dependency
• Learn new social, parental and educational skills
• Achieve personal stability, health and independence
• Be given fresh hope for a better future and developing the skills to maintain it

The Premises

The premises are a large detached Victorian house near Cardiff City centre, converted for use as a rehabilitation centre. It provides substantial well maintained accommodation on two floors. It has the advantage of a large, secure enclosed garden that is available for use by service users and as an outdoor children's play area.

There are seven large family rooms which can accommodate mothers and t children.

There are four single rooms that can accommodate women on their own.

There are three lounges for residents as well as three bathrooms and a shower room. The residents' dining room and the in-house nursery are on the ground floor.

Other rooms provide for counselling/group activities, children's dayroom, kitchen, office and staff room and for staff sleeping-in.

Daily timetable

Service User's day begins at 7.30am Monday to Friday. Residents are responsible for their children being dressed, fed and ready for nursery or school by 9.00am. Programme activities commence at 9.00am with cleaning duties followed by Group Sessions starting at 10.00am and continuing until lunch time. The afternoon Programme activities are written up on an individual basis for each service user, involving one-to-one sessions with her counsellor, key worker and parenting worker. Each service user has a personal care plan which is drawn up in conjunction with her key worker and placing agency. Regular six weekly reviews take place between each service user, her key worker and Social Services/funding agency. Service users also meet on a six weekly basis with the Registered Manager to review their placement. Programme activities end at 4pm. Children are collected from the in-house nursery or from school by the residents.Programme activities are compulsory and service users are required to sign an agreement to this prior to admission. Failure to comply with the Programme activity requirements or with House rules could result in a service user being discharged from the Rehabilitation Programme.

During evenings and weekends, service users are encouraged to plan and participate in social, domestic and leisure activities. Mothers are encouraged to plan activities for and manage their children. Support Workers provide guidance and assistance as necessary.

Service users are expected to learn the necessary life skills and coping strategies to care for themselves and their children with support and guidance from the staff. Personal care is provided to service users whenever they may be unable to care for themselves through temporary illness or disablement. Children are offered personal care when cared for in the in-house nursery when their mothers attend the structured programme during the day (Monday - Friday); and whilst being cared for by Ashcroft House staff outside the programme time, by special arrangement in exceptional circumstances (e.g. hospitalisation) or when mothers become unfit or unable to care for their children.

No nursing care is provided by staff employed at Ashcroft House. Residents and children receive health care advice and support from Health Visitors, District Nurses and Community Psychiatric Nurses as required and in conjunction with GP assessments of health care needs.