National Child Contact Centre Week 2026 ran from 15 to 21 June under the theme “Putting children first”, and its message matters well beyond a single week. If you are separating, or already managing contact, the campaign is a useful prompt to check whether your arrangements are built around your child rather than around the dispute. That sounds obvious. In practice, it is easy to lose sight of.
The campaign is coordinated by the National Association of Child Contact Centres and its accredited members. NACCC is the UK charity and accreditation body for child contact centres, setting national standards for services that help children spend safe time with a parent or family member they do not live with.
Its latest annual figures show 301 accredited centres as at 1 April 2026. During 2025/26, NACCC-accredited services supported 21,980 children and 15,471 families, with 1,969 volunteers and 2,066 paid staff involved. Courts and Cafcass generally use NACCC-accredited centres because accreditation shows that a service has agreed to work to national standards.
So what does that mean for you? At a basic level, it means there is a recognised, child-focused route for a child to keep seeing a parent they do not live with, even when the adults are in conflict. A contact centre is neutral ground. Using one is not a judgment on you as a parent. It often helps simply to understand how supervised contact helps before you decide anything.
Take a common situation. Contact has stopped for a year after a difficult separation, and the first meeting feels daunting for everyone. A structured setting lets that first visit happen calmly, with support focused on the child’s wellbeing. Many parents are surprised by how ordinary it can feel once it starts, and it helps to know what to expect when you move from a court order to the first visit.
“Putting children first” is also the principle this service works to. You can see how that plays out in our approach to putting children first in child arrangements. Some families are best served by a local contact centre. Others need independent, community-based supervised contact, or court-focused observation and reporting, which is where a service like ours can sit alongside the centre network rather than replacing it.
| Option | Best suited to | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Supported contact | Lower-risk cases where parents need neutral ground | Several families may use the centre at the same time, with staff or volunteers present |
| Supervised contact | Higher-risk or more complex cases, or where a court directs supervision | One-to-one supervision, observations and written reports where required |
| Handover support | Cases where the child is safe with each parent but handovers are tense | A neutral person or service manages the exchange to reduce conflict |
| Community contact | Cases where supervised time outside a centre is suitable | Contact takes place in an agreed community setting with supervision |
There are still myths worth clearing up. A contact centre is not only for the most serious cases, and asking for support does not mark you out as a failing parent. If you are unsure what applies to you, it is worth reading about the misunderstandings around child arrangement services and about what supervised contact involves and when it is needed.
If you think contact support would help, the next step is usually a referral. Depending on the service, this may come from you, a solicitor, mediator, Cafcass officer, social worker or court direction. For families who want child supervised contact in a community setting, or broader supervised and supported contact services, the practical question is matching the level of support to the level of risk.
For parents whose jobs make scheduling difficult, including contact that fits around professional life, consistency is the thing courts tend to notice. A realistic plan that happens regularly is usually better for a child than an ambitious plan that keeps breaking down.
Frequently asked questions
What is a child contact centre?
It is a neutral, child-friendly place where a child can spend time with a parent or relative they do not live with, in a safe and supported setting.
What is the difference between supervised and supported contact?
Supported contact suits lower-risk situations and offers light oversight in a shared space. Supervised contact is closely observed, usually one-to-one, and used where there are higher risks or greater complexity.
Do I need a court order to use contact support?
Not always. Some families arrange support voluntarily, while others are directed to it by the court. You can ask about a referral either way.
Are these services free?
Costs vary. Some charity-run supported centres may be free or low cost, while supervised, independent and specialist services usually charge a fee. Ask about costs before you start.
Talk to someone who keeps your child at the centre
If the spirit of National Child Contact Centre Week resonates, and you want arrangements built around your child, speak to the Child Arrangement Resolutions. Email info@childarrange.com for a confidential, practical conversation about the right level of support.