What is the 3-House Assessment Tool?
The 3-House Assessment Tool provides a structured way for children to share their experiences in a supportive environment, helping adults understand what matters most to them. The three houses tool aids in strengthening trust, improving communication, and tailoring support to meet each child's unique needs.
It is a creative and child-centred approach for understanding a child’s lived experience, the positive aspects they cherish, and their dreams for the future. This tool provides children with a safe space to express themselves, bringing their thoughts and feelings to the forefront in meetings or reviews, where adult perspectives can often dominate.
By utilising the 3-House model, practitioners gather insights and actively build trust, showing the child that their voice truly matters. When children see their input taken seriously and woven into decision-making, they feel empowered, knowing their thoughts can influence real change.
How Does the 3-House Assessment Work?
There are 3 aspects to the 3-house assessment. The house of worries helps identify safeguarding concerns, the house of dreams can highlight aspirations and the house of good things can uncover protective factors. Here’s how the 3-House tool works:
House of Worries
This house lets children openly share what troubles them, helping to identify areas where support is needed.
House of Dreams
Here, children can express their hopes and aspirations, illuminating the goals and changes they wish to see in their lives.
House of Good Things
This house encourages children to recognise and share the aspects of their lives that bring them joy and stability.
To tailor this experience, try using themes that align with the child’s interests, such as islands, cars, or castles. This flexibility makes the process more engaging and relatable and can allow you to take into consideration any cultural differences.
The 3-House Assessment Tool isn’t just a tool for listening; it’s a bridge to deeper understanding and meaningful advocacy, helping adults support the child’s journey toward a brighter future.
3-House Assessment – Examples
Below is an example of how you can use the 3-house assessment tool. You can download the blank template for yourself or create your own with the child that you are working with.
Blank Example
Completed Example
This example is based on a (fictional) boy named Peter.
"Peter, a 12-year-old, begins by drawing his three houses. In his ‘House of Worries,’ he talks about feeling left out at school. In the ‘House of Dreams,’ he envisions a place where he has new friends and feels accepted. Finally, in his ‘House of Good Things,’ he notes that he loves spending time with his aunt and feels safe there."
House of Worries – Examples
This house provides a safe space for the child to share their worries, revealing areas where support and positive changes are needed.
House of Dreams – Examples
This house explores the child's hopes and dreams for the future, offering valuable insight into their aspirations and what support they need to achieve them.
House of Good Things – Examples
This house helps identify the positive elements in the child's life, highlighting what brings them joy, security, and a sense of well-being.
Additional Information and Ideas
If you'll be working with a specific child over an extended period, consider creating a dedicated '3-House Notebook' to capture reflections and track progress over time.
This tool also opens up meaningful opportunities for reflective conversations.
Asking questions like, 'What might make this worry feel smaller?' or 'What steps can we take today to move closer to this dream?' encourages the child to actively engage and deepens your connection with them.
You can use stickers or drawings instead of writing if that is the preferred method of the child.
Before finishing the activity with the child, go over what’s been spoken.
Make it a habit to revisit the 3-House Assessment regularly, allowing the child to reflect on what has changed, celebrate progress, and address any new worries or dreams. Over time, this practice strengthens the child’s sense of growth and achievement.
You can allow children to cross out worries as they disappear and tick goals as they are achieved.
You can add a section under the houses for your own notes and observations. This could be used as a reflective tool where you go over what went well and plan for future sessions.
