Child Contact Centre - How does it work?

[nannynick]

Not sure if this is an appropriate board to post this query - but thought it worth a try

Has anyone been to a Child Contact Centre (where separated/divorced parents can spend a couple of hours contact time with their children)?

A parent contacted me today, asking if I could babysit their child, as an escort for the child to see his father at a child contact centre. I'm not sure how this would work, as I thought child contact centre's had their own staff to help with supervision.

Anyone know how this sort of thing works?

no most do not have supervisers available to assist, althoguh they are all staffed.

you will turn up and you will go into a room full of toys and books that the children will be allowed to play with.

you can either wait and watch or go off and leave father and child to play. you come back at the end of the session and collect the children.

I volunteered at a ccc in Nottingham about 5 years ago (so things may have changed). If parents didn' want to see each other then the dropping off parent would hand the child to a supervisor who would take the child to the other parent, in another room.

Other times the dropping off parent would stay at the other side of the room while the other parent and child had contact in the same room.

We also had parents who used the centre as a drop off and collection point, with the collecting parent taking the child out for a couple of h.ours and then returning for the handover

It probably depends on the contact arrangements (or court contact order) and what the particular centres rules are. You could call one and ask.

Thanks that helps a bit. Court Contact Order... hmm, suppose I'd better ask the mother about that - should there be things in there such as xDP can't be within certain radius of mother's home (does it cover things like that?).

I'm a little surprised it is worth someone paying a qualified nanny to assist with a contact session, but if the contact centre can be used for handover purposes, then xDP and child (plus me in supervisory role) can then go out somewhere, then that may be good for all concerned (I don't like being cooped up indoors).

Think I may be used for transport purposes, as mother did mention that I could collect child from her home, and take her DS to meet his dad at contact centre, or another location.

Info is much appreciated. If anyone else has any experience of this kind of thing, would love your comments.

the centres round here (Hertfordshire) don't let the parents off-site during contact

Most of the err clients are there due to being unable to have unsupervised contact (ie where they and the kids go wherever they want for however long)

The contact agreement should really only be things like dates, times, how long contact is for, what happens if one party can't make it, written confirmation of location and supervision confirmed and it should be adhered to.

My old contact stuff used to say things like "X will see child on x y z days for 2 hours at a time. X must provide all financial cover for supervision, including travel expenses for (me) and child. X will provide supervision for the duration of contact sessions" and stuff like that...

None of it mattered though as he NEVER turned up!!! (be prepared for that - upset kids etc)

oh sorry, forgot to add this bit.

Regarding the shock at the mum wanting a nanny to supervise. I can totally understand - if her ex is anything like mine!!

My ex ended up in a heap, crying on the floor when my 1 yr old ds wouldn't sit still for a 20 minute cuddle - the ex thought it was personal rejection (you try getting a 1 yr old to sit that long and do NOTHING but be held - tightly!)

Also, he crumpled at the time ds needed feeding or changing (contact was over lunch) and would run out of the room, crying again

For these reasons, the mum probably wants an experienced, qualified, impartial, first-aid trained (?) specialist to put her mind at rest that if contact goes ahead, it will not harm the child physically as someone is there who CAN cope!

Sorry to go on, but I thought I'd shed some light from my point of view on why she wants (and I would want) a nanny to go to the sessions.

there are two types of contact centres. I think the one in your case is the volunteer run place, it is often in a church hall type place and all the staff are volunteers and do not supervise in the contact. They remind me of just a toddler group. The non resident parent cant leave with the children unless it is stated on the contact order (sometimes it is). There is also seperate rooms so parents dont have to be together if they dont want to. I attended one a few yrs a go and my x spent more time harrasing me than spending time with the children.
The other kind is used in more extreme situations, they are run by social workers and the non resident parent is supported by sw in the contact and the interaction is monitored and observed and at end of usually about ten sessions the social workers write a report to advise court on where to go from there. We at the mo are on the waiting list for one of these places so cant tell u too much about it yet. Wish us luck though Im really nervous about it

Thanks all, this helps a lot. I feel the more I know about how this works, the better, as then I know what I may be letting myself in for.

Contact centre is a local church hall in this particular case.

orangehead, good luck with your sw contact time.

Thanks nannynick