Contact Services
Contact Services
CAR provides contact services tailored to the unique needs of families. We specialise in re-establishing family contact in situations where parent and child have had no contact, or there has been a significant lapse.
The arrangements for contact are often determined via instructions from the family court, CAFCASS and/or local authorities. However, parents who have reached an impasse in child contact negotiations can also self-refer to our service, to avoid lengthy, expensive court processes.
Contact supervisors oversee visits in a warm, professional manner, always remaining neutral and independent. Allocated supervisors will take charge of contact arrangements, acting as a conduit between parents and caregivers to minimise disputes and ensure regularity of contact. This foundation enables secure and enduring relationships to be fostered between non-residing parents their children.
Supervised Contact
Our bespoke contact services are provided in local community venues, like restaurants, soft play centres, and potentially the non-resident parent’s home. This offers families the chance to reconnect in a natural setting.
Drug and Alcohol Testing
Prior to sessions commencing, our specialist supervisors can test non-resident parents for alcohol and drugs; this is agreed in advance, with the parent’s consent.
Supported Contact
CAR strives to provide families with an appropriate level of support and guidance, based on need and circumstance. Supported contact is utilised as a step-down from supervised contact. Our supervisors will not observe contact but will remain available for the family throughout the visit.
Handover
Emotions can run high following separation, creating anxiety for children when they transition between parents. For this reason, we offer a handover service to prevent the need for separated parents to meet during contact and minimise the conflict for everyone.
Virtual Indirect Contact
This is a form of contact that takes place online, using video messaging software (Microsoft TEAMs).
Virtual contact can be either supervised or supported.
Letterbox Service & Indirect Contact
This is a checking and sending service for voice notes, cards, letters, emails and parcels between children and non-resident parents/relatives.
We also offer a supported letterbox service, where our worker will meet with the child at an agreed venue, to read through the correspondence with them.
On request we can provide written court reports, which outline the frequency and appropriateness of such correspondence.
