About

About Our Service

Mid Ulster Child Contact Centre is a warm, welcoming, child centred environment with a range of play activities. Our activities are planned to respond to the needs of the children who attend.

Each family has the opportunity to enjoy safe, positive and interactive contact with the support of our highly trained and skilled volunteers. We also provide refreshments for the adults and children and a waiting area for the resident parent. Mid Ulster Child Contact Centre

The most important people in the Child Contact Centre are the children and we offer lots of play-based activities to ensure that they feel as relaxed and happy as possible. It is recommended that children are prepared for contact in a way that they understand and to help with this process an information leaflet for children is available for you to discuss with your children.

The staff and volunteers who support the contact are fully vetted and trained, and maintain an impartial and confidential approach at all times.

Visits to the Contact Centre are arranged through a referral system and referrals are usually made through a Solicitor, Courts, Social worker, or Court Children’s Officer. A form will be completed by the referrer and this will be forwarded to the Co-Ordinator of Mid Ulster Child Contact Centre to arrange for contact meetings to take place. The Co-Ordinator will invite parents and children to visit the Centre prior to contact, to help make the first contact visit easier. There is no reason for parents to meet if they do not wish to do so.

The Contact Centre Co-Ordinator cannot make changes to the contact arrangements – any changes must be arranged through Solicitors, Courts or Social Workers. If, for any reason, a parent or child cannot attend for contact, the Co-Ordinator must be informed as soon as possible.

The Contact Centre does not make any written or verbal reports about contact visits, other than record dates and times of attendance. However, if the staff or volunteer believe that a child might be at risk, or if staff/volunteers are at risk of harm, then a report will be prepared in line with the procedures and policies of the Contact Centre.

The Contact Centre does have a written agreement for users of the centre, which we ask both parents to read and sign. The Co-Ordinator will discuss this with both parents at the pre-contact visit.