AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Aims of Children First Child Contact Centre are:
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To preserve and protect the children’s mental, physical and emotional health caused by the break-up of their parent’s relationship
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To facilitate safe contact for children, parents and relations where there is no viable alternative
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To increase the opportunities for children to maintain a meaningful relationship with the non resident parent or relations
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To work towards a healthy long term relationship between children and both their parents
In furtherance of the above Aims the objectives of the Centre are:
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To provide a neutral meeting place
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To encourage parents to interact in a positive way with their children
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To support the children through this difficult time
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To set up the contact sessions and visitation
HOW Children First IS RUN
Children First is run by North East Hackney Ecumenical Group of Churches. The Centre is staffed by volunteers, with at least three on duty at each session.
They welcome children and parents, serve the refreshments and do what they can to maintain a relaxed and happy atmosphere. They have no special qualifications beyond impartiality and their own life expereiences.
To find out how to become a volunteer for Children First click here
CODE OF PRACTICE
1. Contact is child centred. Work with parents is aimed at making contact less stressful for the child.
2. Impartiality is fundamental to the operation of the Centre.
3. The Centre is not a place for negotiation. Its purpose is to help families put into practice agreements made elsewhere.
4. The contact process has an explicit confidentiality policy, which all Centre workers are obliged to observe. This policy is freely accessible to all.
5. The Centre will undertake comprehensive induction and ongoing training of support staff.
6. The Centre will seek to ensure that volunteers are made aware of particular needs of the family attending the Centre.
7. The Centre exists in a multi-culture, multi-faith society and will work proactively to reflect this philosophy.
8. The Centre has a Health and Safety policy, which follows the guidelines, required by current Government legislation.
9. The Centre has a procedure for dealing with complaints.
BACKGROUND
In the early 80's there were very few contact facilities, these were ran by the Probation Service. Mary Lower, a Magistrate in Nottingham opened the first contact centre in 1985 at St Andrew's with Castle Gate United Reformed Church in Nottingham. As word of her work spread others became aware of the need for these neutral informal type environments where children can meet their non-custodial parent and enjoy each other's company after family separation in a non-threatening manner. In 1994 The North East Hackney ecumenical group of churches opened Children First Child Contact Centre in response to this need.
DONATIONS AND LEGACIES
Children First is a voluntary organisation and relies on grants and donations to continue providing its service. The Centre is a registered Charity (Charity No: 1080383). For details of how to make a donation or to arrange a legacy please click here or contact the Centre manager.