recommendation 3
a child contact centre should be available in every community
Child Contact Centres play a vital role in keeping parents and children together. Investment in
these is urgently needed in every community…
Child Contact Centres play a vital role in keeping parents and children together. Investment in
these is urgently needed in every community…
I agree with this recommendation, however it does concern me that use of such centres could be over used in situations where these services are not required. This could lead to quick depletion of available spaces for those families who really need this service.
The criteria for taking up a Contact Centre place needs to be defined and limits and measures need to be set to ensure families are working to resolve the initial problems requiring the services of such centres. This would mean assessment and qualified staffing to manage cases and monitor outcomes. Otherwise, the use of the centre could be counter productive to the welfare needs of the child/ren and limiting progress of parent child relationships beyond the confines of the centre and its opening hours.
Wide spread access to such services would need to be managed efficiently to avoid this method of post separation parenting becoming the norm.
I think it crucial to avoid creating ‘centres’ that publicly offer ‘extra support’ in a formal aka statutory manner. The ideal location for good access to services, actually wanted or needed in the community ought to be the local Children’s Centres. Enhanced support or guidance can be provided whilst the children learn and develop through fun within the extended services agenda.
Let’s not reinvent the wheel.
Paula
If you mean Child Contact Centres as an alternative to a parental relationship I disagree. ‘Contact Centres’ are usually used by hostile mothers to prevent fathers having a parental relationship with their child or children – A common criticism of such centres is that the personnel they employ believe the well being of the child is synonymous with the welfare of the mother. Such centers are used, not as a half way house or a necessary compromise, but as a means of pandering to the wishes of the mother by degrading the father.
I completely agree with Kingsley Miller, contact centres have arisen in the legislation, not as a way of allowing a proper parental relationship, but as the only bright thing the statute drafters could come up with. To be quite frank there is very little real need for Contact Centres.
[edited by Moderator]
What is needed are parent workshops to educate parents in how to deal with there own high emotions and live without conflict with ex. Simple contact centres are degrading for both parent and child.