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Westminster View: Chelmsford Child Contact Centre

Last month I was invited to an informal visit to the Chelmsford Child Contact Centre at Central Baptist Church, Victoria Road South when I was able to see the centre in action and chat to a member of the management committee and volunteers. Over 300 centres operate throughout the country, many of which are held in church halls. Every centre provides an opportunity for children to meet with a parent no longer sharing their home after family breakdown and when other arrangements cannot yet be made grandparents and other family members can also use a contact centre.

The first contact centre opened in Nottingham in February 1985 with a rota of volunteers from the congregation of St Andrews with Castle Gale United Reformed Church as part of their 'Outreach' programme. Mary Lower, a Nottinghamshire Magistrate, through experiences in her own family, realised how important it was for children to keep in touch with both parents. She found, however, there were very few informed venues where it was possible to meet and set about starting a Centre in Nottingham. The idea spread and in 1991 the Network of Access and Child Contact Centres (NACCC) became an official organisation May 1, 1998, its name
was changed to the National Association of Child Contact Centres. The Chelmsford Centre, again as part of the 'Outreach' of the Church started in September 1995 and has full membership of the Association having achieved the accreditation goals which have be reviewed every three years.

The Chelmsford Centre opens fortnightly throughout the year on Saturdays from 10.30am and 12.30pm. Families have usually been referred by solicitors, CAFCASS - The Children and Family Courts Advisory and Support Service or social workers. A team of trained volunteers helps the morning run smoothly. They try to provide activities and toys to cater for all ages and have for example, table-tennis, two play stations, a slide, games and find that drawing, painting and play-dough are very popular even with the parents: Parents, of course, are very welcome to bring toys and often do so.

Refreshments are available at all times and recently they have tried to include healthy food in addition to the usual biscuits and crisps! Parents are responsible for their children at the centre as far as possible; volunteers try to stay in the background but are always there to help. The most important people at the centre are the children and it is there happiness and safety which are of paramount importance. For that reason all the volunteers have had Criminal Records Bureau checks and have opportunities to attend various training courses, eg, in child protection, domestic violence, drug awareness and first aid.

Over, the year 37 different families with 56 children made 227 visits, 169 of these visits involved children aged 0-5 years; 119 visits of 6-10-year-olds and 28 of those were over 11 years. Initially families stay in the centre but as contact progresses, children may go out provided the child and both parents are happy about this. The centre is only meant to be a temporary arrangement until more long-term solutions can be found possible. They now allow families to attend for one year.
The Management Committee meets several times a year and oversees the general running of the centre and has been especially involved in policy making. Any complaints that cannot be resolved at the centre are referred to this committee. A strict confidentiality policy exists and the centre is impartial and open to all in a multi-cultural, multi-faith society.

No contact centre would be able to run without volunteers. The Chelmsford Centre aim to have six on duty each session which usually only involves two or three sessions every three months. Some enjoy working in the kitchen, others acting as receptionists or overseeing the contact in the hall. All need to be caring and discreet as well as impartial and enthusiastic but each brings his or her gifts to the centre. If you would like to learn more about becoming a volunteer at the excellent facility leave a message on 01245 495014 and I am sure they will get back to you. I know that you will be very welcome.