Hammond House · Colchester, Essex

Every child moves forward one stone at a time.

A three-bed therapeutic home for children aged 7 to 17. Small enough that every child is known, clinician-led so that staff understand what they're seeing.

Make a referral How we work

Two teenagers standing side by side at a glazed door, looking out at the street.

Small steps.Held steady.

What we offer

One home. Three children. No exceptions.

Hammond House is deliberately small. Three beds means adult attention that doesn't have to be rationed — and staff who know exactly who they're caring for.

Residential care

A family home over three floors in Berechurch, with a garden, a mindfulness room and an activity space. Ages 7–17, all genders.

See the home →

Clinician-led therapy

A Forensic Psychologist directs each treatment plan. A consultant Psychotherapist supervises the staff team every month.

Our model →

Preparing to move on

Life skills, financial literacy and a wraparound plan for adulthood. Key workers stay involved past 16, in line with the Pathway Plan.

How it works →

Health and fitness

A personal trainer and qualified nutritionist lead physical health, with body MOTs feeding into LAC nurse health assessments.

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A look inside

This is the actual house.

Not a showroom and not a brochure set. Three floors in Berechurch, photographed as it is.

The living room at Hammond House, with seating arranged around a low table. — **The living room** — Seating enough for the whole household at once

The kitchen at Hammond House, with worktops and space to cook together. — **The kitchen** — Weekly menus planned with the children

A bedroom at Hammond House, with a made bed, storage and a window. — **A bedroom** — Their own bed, their own storage

See every room

Our approach

Behaviour is information, not a problem to suppress

Our practice rests on unconditional positive regard — the child's worth doesn't move, whatever the behaviour does. These four commitments follow from that.

A key worker sitting with a teenage boy in a group session, hand on his shoulder, listening. — **Alongside, not opposite** — Regulation is learned in ordinary moments

Prevention before restraint

Staff are PRICE-trained and de-escalate first. Restraint is a last resort, always least-restrictive, always debriefed with the child.

Clinical thinking in daily life

Therapy isn't an appointment. Monthly reflective practice means the team understands the child at 3am, not just in review meetings.

An honest match

Our psychotherapist reviews every referral. If we're not the right home, we say so before a placement breaks down — not after.

Progress the child can see

We use Outcome Star, so young people map their own journey and recognise cause and effect for themselves.

A rider on a black and white horse in a field beside woodland. — **Amesbury Mead Farm, Chingford** — Arena work and forest trails

Beyond the house

Equestrian therapy at Amesbury Mead Farm

Sessions are delivered by Sam Tomlin, a British Horse Society Stage Two qualified instructor with over ten years' experience, who specialises in working with children with behavioural difficulties and autism.

The farm sits in Chingford (E4) — a well-maintained riding school with direct access to Epping Forest, so children ride in a controlled arena and take forest trails. It is calming and sensory-rich, and it builds confidence, emotional regulation, focus and communication. For many children, the bond formed with a horse becomes a powerful route into self-expression.

Referrals

Have a child who needs a placement?

Our placement team, registered manager and psychotherapist review every referral together. You'll get a straight answer about whether Hammond House is the right home.

Make a referral Call +44 7787 100025

We answer every referral, including the ones we can't take. You'll never be left waiting on a maybe.

A key worker sitting with a teenage girl on a sofa, notebook in hand, talking things through. — **Sitting alongside** — Most of the work looks like this, not like a meeting

Careers

The job is hard. So is the reason we do it.

We fund your Level 4 or Level 5 Diploma after probation, train everyone in PACE and trauma-informed practice, and put a clinical supervisor in the room every month. Experience helps. Steadiness matters more.

See open roles