PO Box 840 AmershamAmersham.... HP6 9GR

Referral procedures

When problems arise in a Child Centre it can often be because people have not been informed about, or have been misinformed or have misunderstood the type of contact the Centre provides and how it is run. Put another way, referrers and families need to know the following in relation to a Child Contact Centre. who you are, what you offer and what is expected of them.

The Chiltern Child Contact Centre --- is a support centre. That means we will only accept families where there is no risk of abuse to the child, or of the non- resident absconding with the child(ren).

Promoting safe child contact within a national framework of Child Contact Centres NACCC (the National Association for Child Contact Centres) is anxious that its member Child Contact Centres not only reduce the level of risk volunteers and families may face, but also develop a consistent approach towards their service delivery. We are guided by the NACCC’s National Standards as follows:

• We are using use the contents of the standard NACCC referral form and have guidelines for referrers. • We will have to be in possession of a properly completed referral form giving full details of both parties and any other people involved in the contact before a family is accepted. • We will expect families to visit our Centre in advance of contact starting. • We expect all referrers to ensure that have our information leaflet containing information about our location, opening times and rules. • We will provide sufficient toys and games to meet the needs of the children coming to our centre, taking account of their age and cultural background. • We will review the progress a family is making at least every six months.

Referral ffformform

We would expect that both parties’ solicitors and any other professionals involved with a family are either contacted or shown and asked to complete the referral form. Although this is a time consuming process it almost always provides a more comprehensive and balanced picture of a family and any problems that might arise if the family is allowed to use a Child Contact Centre. It is important for all concerned to realise that we are a Centre offering support, not supervision.

Self referrals Self-referrals may become more common as legal aid funding is reduced. When this happens NACCC would recommend that the following procedure is followed:

• The Centre’s coordinator or deputy coordinator will interview both parents. • The information obtained during these interviews will be used to complete our Centre’s referral form. • If it is felt to be either necessary or appropriate, we will ask permission from the parents to contact any individual or agency who is mentioned during the interviews. • No decision will be taken as to whether to accept the family until the referral form has been completed and any additional enquiries have been made. • The parents will be informed about the Centre’s decision to either accept or reject them by way of a letter. • If it is decided to accept a family it will, in the first instance, be for a limited period of time or contact sessions. • Once this period of time has elapsed or the contact sessions completed a decision will then be taken as to whether to accept the family on a longer-term basis. • The final decision regarding accepting self-referrals rests with the Centre.

Information leaflet for parents and carers People using Child Contact Centres are often confused, apprehensive and sometimes frightened or angry. This means they can have difficulty in remembering what has been said to them or things they have read. We want to ensure people using a Child Contact Centre have seen, read and understood any information leaflet given to them. NACCC has produced an Information leaflet for parents and carers with a space for a customised label displaying local information. Please confirm that both parents have seen and read this leaflet.

“Putting children first leaflet” In contrast to the parents’ leaflet which contains basic information about how Centres are managed and run, this leaflet is trying to help parents manage the contact situation and think about their children’s feelings more. Developed via the Reluctant Child training it can be given out to parents and carers by centres, courts, solicitors or mediators.

Rules for Chiltern Child ContaContactct Centre Please ensure that the families are given a copy of these rules before they start using our Centre.

The following rules are also listed in the NACCC Information leaflet for parents and carers:

• Parents are responsible for the safety and supervision of the children at all times while at the Centre. • No child may be left without a parent in attendance. • A child may only be taken from the Centre during a visit if this is stated on the referral form, or with the written consent of both parents. • Relatives and friends can only attend if they are named on the referral form. • There must be no arguing in front of the children. Abusive or aggressive behaviour and racist or other offensive remarks will not be tolerated. Any visitor acting in such a way will be asked to leave. • Anyone under the influence of or carrying alcohol/drugs will not be allowed onto the premises. • We have a no smoking policy. • All mobile phones must be switched off whilst contact is taking place. • Video or still photography is only permitted with the permission of the other party and the Centre Coordinator. This also applies to portable computers. • We have no facilities for pets, so please do not bring them. • Please tell us if you make other arrangements for contact or if you will not be coming on a particular day. • As our concern is for the children, we reserve the right to ask parents to leave if their conduct is such that the atmosphere becomes unpleasant.

Referral form

Wherever possible this form needs to be seen Office use only and completed by both parties’ solicitors and any other professionals involved with the Referral received family. Contact cannot commence until this form has Date of pre-visit been completed in full and received by the Centre Coordinator. Date of first contact All information will be treated in the strictest Dates reviewed confidence. Please print clearly Contact ended

1. Children Name(s) Age Date of birth Boy (B), Girl (G)

2. Adult requesting contact Name:

Relationship to child(ren):

Does this person have legal parental responsibility? (please circle) Yes No Length of time since: a) They met children

b) They lived with children Address:

Postcode: Telephone:

Solicitor’s name: Solicitor’s ref: Name of practice:

Address:

Postcode:

Email: Telephone:

3. Adult with whom the child(ren) reresideside Name: Relationship to child(ren):

Address:

Postcode: Telephone:

Solicitor’s name: Solicitor’s ref Name of practice:

Address:

Postcode:

Email: Telephone: 4. Referrer Name: Profession: Address:

Postcode:

Email: Telephone: 5. CAFCACAFCASS,SS, Contact Orders & Contact a. Is there an allocated CAFCASS officer? (please circle) Yes No If ‘Yes’, please give details: Name:

Name of CAFCASS office:

Address:

Postcode: Telephone: b. When and where did contact last take place? c. Is there a court order relating to the contact? (please circle) Yes No If ‘Yes’, please either send a copy or indicate what it specifies.

d. What other court orders have been made in relation to the child(ren) and when?

e. Can the child(ren) be taken out of the Centre? (please circle) Yes No f. What is the next court date (if any)?

6. Arrival at the Child Contact Centre a. Are the parents willing to meet? (please circle) Yes No b. Will the adult with whom the child(ren) reside be bringing them to and collecting them from the Centre? (please circle) Yes No

If ‘No’, who will be bringing / collecting the child(ren)? c. What is the preferred date of first contact at the Centre? d. How frequently will contact take place? e. For how long will each visit last? f. Names of other people allowed to participate in contact at the Centre:

Name Relationship to child

7. Information Relating to Safety of the Child a. Are there or have there been sexual / allegations made in this family? (please circle). If ‘Yes’, please give details (over page) Yes No b. Is this family known to Social Services? (please circle) If ‘Yes’, please give details (over page) If ‘Yes’, please give details (over page) Yes No c. Has any person who will be involved in the contact ever been convicted of an offence against a child(ren)? (please circle) Yes No

If ‘Yes’, please give details

d. Has there been or is there likely to be a risk of abduction? (please circle) Yes No

If ‘Yes’, are procedures in place for holding passports, etc. (please circle) Yes No e. Please give details of any allegations, undertakings, injunctions or convictions relating to violence involving either party, their respective families or the children.

8. Health & MedMedicalical Requirements a. Do any of the children have any illness, allergy, impairment, special needs or medical requirements? (please circle) If ‘Yes’, please give details Yes No

b. Do any of the adults involved suffer from long-term physical / mental illness or an impairment? (please circle) If ‘Yes’, please give details Yes No

9. Additional Information a. What language is spoken at home? b. Is an interpreter required? (please circle) Yes No

If ‘Yes’, please give details of the interpreter to be used (include name and organisation if any)

c. Has this family ever used another Child Contact Centre? (please circle) Yes No

If ‘Yes, please give details (this Centre may be contacted).

d. Additional background information (Please use a separate sheet if necessary).

I have explained the rules of the Chiltern Child Contact Centre to my client and given them a copy of the Centre’s leaflet / guidelines. This form has been completed accurately and to the best of my knowledge. Signed: ………………………………………………………………..… Date: ……………………………………… N.B. Only dates and times of families attendance will be disclosed unless it is felt that anyone using the Child Contact Centre or a volunteer / staff member is at risk of harm. Please return this form to: the Coordinator, Chiltern Child Contact Centre. PO Box 840 Amersham HP6 9GR

Guidelines for Referrers

All correspondence should be sent to the Centre Coordinator: Chiltern Child Contact Centre. PO Box 840

Amersham HP6 9GR

The Chiltern Child Contact Centre is based at Amersham Free Church and opens on the first and third Saturdays of the month (commencing 15.10.11) with contact sessions from 9.30- 11.30am or 12.30-2.30pm

Please note that our Child Contact Centre offers supported contact only. Supported contact takes place in a variety of neutral community venues where there are facilities to enable children to develop and maintain positive relationships with non-resident parents and other family members. Supported Child Contact Centres are suitable for families when no significant risk to the child or those around the child has been identified.

The basic elements of supported contact are:

• Impartiality.

• Staff and volunteers are available for assistance but there is no close observation, monitoring or evaluation of individual contacts/conversations.

• Several families are usually together in one or a number of rooms.

• Encouragement for families to develop mutual trust and consider more satisfactory family venues.

• Apart from attendance dates and times, no detailed report will be made to a referrer, CAFCASS, a party’s solicitor or Court, unless there is a risk of harm to the child, parent or Centre worker.

• An acknowledgement that it be viewed as a temporary arrangement to be reviewed after an agreed period of time.

1. Please do not refer a client without contacting the Child Contact Centre Coordinator first to check availability of space and time.

2. A completed referral form should be received by the Centre Coordinator one week in advance of the date which your client would like contact to commence. Where a Centre has a waiting list, a completed referral form should still be sent, the Centre will then notify you when a place becomes available.

3. Only people named on the referral form will be allowed admittance to the Child Contact Centre. This may be varied by written agreement by both parties.

4. Parents are responsible for their children at all times whilst they are at the Child Contact Centre.

5. Please ensure that both parents have read and understood the Child Contact Centre’s information leaflet in advance of contact starting. 6. To try and maintain a friendly, impartial and confidential environment, we would request that you do not at any time ask to see your clients on our premises without prior agreement.

7. Only dates and times of a family’s attendance will be disclosed unless it is felt that anyone using the Centre or a volunteer or member of staff is at risk of harm. In the unlikely event of it becoming necessary to quote a Coordinator/Centre Manager in any report, due to a Centre user, volunteer or member of staff being at risk of harm, the form of words used should be checked and agreed with that person concerned beforehand.

8. Child Contact Centres providing Supported Contact will not knowingly accept a referral when somebody involved has been convicted of any offence relating to a) physical or b) of any child, unless there are exceptional circumstances and they have sought appropriate professional advice

9. The Child Contact Centre reserves the right to reduce or terminate contact if it is felt to be in the best interest of the child.

10. Parents should be informed that because the welfare of the child is paramount, there might be times when contact cannot take place if the child is too upset even if there is a contact order.

11. Referrers should make arrangements for the provision of an interpreter where English is not the first language of the family involved and problems may arise with communication.

12. The Centre should be viewed as a temporary facility to help establish contact. The Child Contact Centre will be asking for your assistance to review the family’s progress after six months.

13. Please notify the Child Contact Centre Coordinator if the arrangements for contact are going to change or if contact is going to cease.

This Centre is a Member of the National Association of Child Contact Centres and operates in accordance with its National Standards for Child Contact Centres. We have working policies on the following:

• Child Protection. • Confidentiality. • Health and Safety. • Equal Opportunities and Diversity. • . • Volunteers. • CRB Disclosures All these policies are available to view at the Centre or by request. There is also a Complaints procedure, which can be used should there be any problems.