Paper No. CRF 2/2018 Thirty-third Meeting of the Children’s Rights Forum Pilot Project on Children Contact Service • Hong Kong Family Welfare Society 28 Sept 2018（Friday） Pilot Project on Children Contact Service Parent-child Contact Centre (PCCC) • Supported by Lotteries Fund from Sept 2016 to Sept 2018 (2 Years) • Service Commencement on 21.09.2016 • The FIRST Parent-child Contact Centre started to operate on 31.10.2016 2 Service Targets • Divorced Parents and Their Children Divorced parents (Residing Parent / Non-residing Parent) being unable to arrange children contact / exchange on their own, and with the consent of both parents and their children can use the services. • Public and Professionals 3 Significances of Children Keeping Contacts with Divorced Parents • Best Interest of the Child - United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 3) • The right of child who is separated from one or both parents - to maintain direct contact with both parents on a regular basis. (UNCRC Article 9) • Researches indicated that keeping continue and stable contact with the divorced parents helped to mitigate the effect of divorce on children. 4 Parent-child Contact Centre (PCCC) Emphasis on Contact & Connection between non-residing parents and their children Child-focused - Best Interest of the Child Encourage divorced parents to learn to be co-parents and cooperate to take care of their children. 5 Co-parenting Goals and Dreams： Parental disputes and conflicts Children being caught in the middle Negative psychological impacts on children Child-focused Encourage parents to participate in child care Cooperate to parent the children Facilitate children to adjust to parental divorce Service Goals • To provide separated / divorced parents and children with safe, conflict- free, controlled and neutral environment for conducting access / contact. • Through professional Supervised Parent-child Contact / Exchange Service to facilitate separated / divorced parents to develop “Child-focused” value, to allow children to remain in positive contact and connections with parents, and to build / rebuild the parent-children relationship. • Through Divorce Education and support services, to facilitate separated / divorced parent to learn to be Co-parents and to take care and parent their children so that children can enjoy care and concern from both parents. 7 From Child-focused Perspective To support High-conflict Divorced Families To tailor-made multi-levels and varieties of support services. (from Preventive to Tertiary Intervention) To develop collaboration with different stakeholders and professionals / systems, i.e. family judge, lawyer, Parenting Coordinator / counsellors / social worker, teacher (schools), psychologist, play therapist and medical staff etc. Through community education and advocacy work to promote Children Friendly Environment. 8 Service Scopes (1) Preventive and Advocacy Work – Community Education and Promotional Work on “Parental Responsibility” and “Co-parenting” • Parent-child Contact Helpline • Outreaching / community educational talks, exhibition and service promotional activities on co-parenting etc. • Services Briefing for sectors • Provide professional trainings for cross sectors (2) Tertiary and Therapeutic Work 2.1 Supervised Parent-child Contact Service Provided by designated Professional Visitation Monitors (Registered Social Workers). To arrange or supervise non-residing parents / other family members to have contacts or gatherings with children in the Centre. 2.2 Supervised Parent-child Exchange Service (To facilitate smooth exchange of children between homes of parents) a) On-site Supervised Exchange b) Off-site Supervised Exchange • 118 Parent-child Contact / Exchange Cases (Oct 2016 to June 2018) 11 Value-added Services to Support Separated / Divorced Families • Co-parenting Educational / Counselling Services • Parenting Coordination Service • Contact / Visitation Planning Service • Children Play & Divorce Education Service • Filial Play Service • Parent-aide Service • 89 Co-parenting Education / Counselling Cases and 24 Children Play Service Cases (Oct 2016 to June 2018) Tailor-made Orientation Sessions for Children • To arrange individual session with children without involving parents. • Using Age-appropriate and Child-friendly Manner to communicate with children • To build up rapport between children and staff • To facilitate children to understand goals of services • To understand children’s perceptions and concerns over the parent-child contact / exchange • To fix a safety plan or rituals with children • Introduce Centre facilities to children 13 Co-creating a Safety Plan and Signal for Children Co-create Age-appropriate Rituals with children Encourage children to express their needs and concerns to staff through the safety rituals Rehearsal on Safety Rituals 14 Centre Facilities • Children-focused / Friendly Design - take care needs of children of different age - provide children with sense of comfort and security - purchasing varieties of toys according to needs of children • Focus on protection and safety of parents and children (set up safety measures) • Protect privacy of users as main consideration 15 Facilities of PCCC 2 Waiting Areas Co-parenting Conference Corner Children Playroom 18 Conference cum Contact Room To provide children a designated space to enjoy quality time with their non-resident parents Baby Care Facilities Children’s Lockers Service Promotional Video • http://www.hkfws.org.hk/b5_service.aspx?id=121&aaa=2 • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU9aQ7QXZ5w 22 Let's join hands to work for the better future of our kids Thank You 24 .