Link Work Child Contact Centre

The breakdown of a relationship can be very hard on children, particularly if one parent leaves the family home. Women’s Work is an accredited child contact centre that provides a friendly, neutral place for children to meet with the parent with whom they no longer live. We don’t take sides. The most important people are the children, and we aim to provide both supported and supervised contact in rooms that have age-appropriate games, toys and activities.

Our Services

You may need to use our contact centre if you and your former partner don’t want to see each other but would each like to see the children. You may not be able to agree on times and venues for contact to take place or the court may have issued a contact order stating contact must take place at a centre.

We provide supported or supervised contact for children so they can spend time with their families in a welcoming, child-friendly and safe environment. By providing toys and equipment, we aim to ensure that contact sessions are meaningful and fun for all the family members that attend.

The difference between Supported and Supervised Contact

Supported Contact does not involve close monitoring of the interactions between parent and child; it takes place in a safe and impartial environment.

• There is encouragement for families to develop mutual trust.
• Staff and volunteers are available for assistance if required but there is no close monitoring or recording of individual contacts/conversations.
• Dates and times of attendance are recorded but no details or reports will be made available to a referrer, CAFCASS, solicitors or court unless there is a risk of harm to the child, parent or Centre staff/volunteer.
• There is an acknowledgment that it is a temporary arrangement to be reviewed after an agreed period of time.
• Several families may be using the centre at the same time.

Supported contact with handover information is where the two parents do not wish to see each other and the Contact Centre takes responsibility for transferring the child from one parent to the other.  

Supervised Contact is where the interactions and conversation between the parent and child are closely monitored. It is typically used where a referral has been made by a public body such as the courts, CAFCASS or a local authority.

• The contact between the parent or caregiver and child or young person is supervised, monitored and assessed by a member of staff at all times with a colleague on hand to provide assistance if required.
• Details of the sessions are recorded by staff.
• We will be informed of the details of your case, including relevant court papers and judgement.
• We will ensure the physical safety and emotional well-being of the children and young people in a one-to-one observed setting.

For more information please read our leaflet Supervised and Supported Contact.

Our rooms and our staff

We offer rooms that promote positive family time in a homely environment. Some of our key features are:

• Newly refurbished crèche.
• Large, welcoming family room.
• Split entrances/exits.
• Garden space.
• A variety of toys and games appropriate to a range of ages, abilities and reflecting diversity.

An integral role of our child contact centre is to promote positive parent-child relationships. Many toys and games encourage positive parent-child interaction, for example blowing bubbles, imaginative play, or ball games. For older children, games like Jenga and cards, computer games, craft activities can be made available.

Our staff team is made up of women with enhanced DBS checks and with a range of skills and experience relevant to the Contact Centre. They are committed to providing a secure environment that will benefit vulnerable children or young people and their families. Our staff are professional and caring, and are independent from the courts, social services or any statutory agency. Our volunteers are also DBS checked and have completed Derby City Council Online Safeguarding training.

Referral process

We offer supervised and supported contacts for children and families. Referrals are sometimes made by a solicitor, a mediator or a CAFCASS officer, but you can also self-refer. If you need to contact our team for help, please call 01332 242525.

Please also read the Referrer’s Guide to Our Contact Centre Leaflet for general advice and guidance.

Should you wish to make a referral please follow the steps below:

Step 1: Complete either the Supervised Contact Referral Form or the Supported Contact Referral Form as appropriate, and sign the Parent Agreement Form. If you wish for copies of the above forms to be sent by post, please contact the office on 01332 242525.

Step 2: Please scan and send the completed forms to linkworkchildcontactcentre@womens-work.org.uk. 

Step 3: Make payment of the referral fee, the referral fee amount and our bank details can be found on the Parent Agreement Form. Please note a referral will not be progressed until we have received the referral fee.

Step 4: Once payment has been received, we will agree a date with the lived with guardian and children for a pre-contact meeting. At the meeting a contact schedule will be discussed and a pre-contact agreement will be signed.

Step 5: The contact schedule will then be emailed, or posted if required, to the parent / family member(s) requesting contact as well as a copy of the pre-contact agreement that will need to be signed and returned before contact can commence.

Step 6: Contact will then begin to take place as agreed, review meetings will be available on request.

Costs:
Sometimes, the cost of child contact will be covered by CAFCASS or Social Services. On other occasions you might be responsible for paying any associated fees. All payments are to be made by BACS transfer.

Contact Centre Costs:
Supervised Contact Sessions £50.00 per hour
Supported Contact Sessions £35.00 per hour
Referral Fee (non-refundable) £50.00
Report Writing £20.00 per hour

Terms and Conditions:

1. The referral fee must be paid in advance of assessment and is non-refundable whether accepted or not. 
2. If accepted, contact sessions can be booked.  Fees must be paid in advance. 
3. All cancellations should be received at least 24 hours in advance of the contact session and you will receive a refund of the session fee.
4. If your cancellation is less than 24 hours in advance, no refund will be given.

How to find us:
We are based in Derby City Centre, within easy walking distance of the bus station.  There is a multi-story car park within a 5 minute walk.  Detailed location guidance will be given following acceptance of any referral. If you need to contact the team, please call us on 01332 242525 Monday – Friday between 09:00 and 17:00.

Information for Parents:
The NACCC website www.naccc.org.uk has links to useful websites, stories from people who have used contact centres, and a comprehensive question and answer page.   

The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service provides publications for adults (including parenting plans), young children, older children and young people. Call them on 0844 353 4332 or look at their website www.cafcass.gov.uk 

National Family Mediation www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk  help families in conflict, especially those divorcing or separating, sort out arrangements for children, property and money.