There are two Child Contact Centres operating in the North-East of Hampshire which have been set up as a result of Mothers’ Union groups identifying a need, and seeking to meet it. The Centre in Alton started as a millennium project for the Mothers Union and its Methodist equivalent. In March 2010 another centre was opened at the Elizabeth Hall in Hook (known as the North Hampshire Child Contact Centre), just off J5 of the M3 – some basic information about that Centre is here.
If you are a solicitor wishing to action a referral to the North Hampshire Child Contact Centre (Hook) please contact them via this mobile phone number: 07813 377530 If you are an individual wishing to make use of the facilities at either centre, please ask your solicitor to refer you.
The information below is designed to explain what a Child Contact Centre is and help people who may want to set one up in their locality using the formation of the Hook Centre as a template:
A Child Contact Centre’s sole purpose is to enable parents, and sometimes grandparents, to rebuild relationships with children residing with estranged former partners. Contact is usually ordered by the courts. Those who have volunteered to help with sessions have been specially trained to facilitate resident parents who are reluctant about letting estranged partners have access to their children, and also care for children who may be very torn over which parent to please.
The local Mothers Union were very excited to go ahead with this project to reach out to families in the community. It also gave them an identity within the benefice by asking all its fourteen parishes (!) for volunteers and donations. The volunteers in turn have become very passionate about this project.
Establishing a venue
By its very nature any Child Contact Centre must be able to operate from a building with separate entrances and waiting areas, where there is access to a communal room. This is so that with staggered arrival and departure times estranged partners do not need to meet before, during or after contact. We found one in Hook which just happened to be also logistically perfect for road and rail access from Basingstoke, Fleet and Farnborough.
Sourcing volunteers
We appealed for volunteers through the parish magazine and by flyers in the churches in the benefice, in Hook and in two village schools where we had contacts, inviting them to come to two open events at the Elizabeth Hall in Hook. We wanted to establish a list at least 25 – 30 so that we could provide 4-5 volunteers twice a month over a three month period, and we got them! All who came forward have become very passionate about this outreach and very sure they can give up four afternoons a year to support these children and their families.
Sourcing Funding
The Mothers Union in the Diocese of Winchester have been proud to give a grant for the first six months costs and indicated they would be available for future funding. We have asked our parishes to make donations and also local solicitors. For larger grants and donations we have approached local community charities such as Rotary and Lions and local councils. The Courts are often in a position to flow funding from the Treasury and by alternating requests Child Contact Centres are a sustainable project for any MU group to consider.
Finding Families
The local Family Court officer was invited to our open events and was very impressed with the organisation and venue. They advise families and judges of our presence. We have directly mailed all firms of solicitors who have a family division. We also (with permission) mail the solicitors of families on the waiting lists of the other Centres. As ‘Archway’ (The Mothers’ Union Diocesan Newsletter) was being written one solicitors firm contacted us via our MU website www.muwinchester.org.uk to make a referral!
We did it!
There is a huge need in the UK for Child Contact Centres. Mothers Union has a very respectable ring to it and families, donors and solicitors are disposed to trust us. You can never get enough of helping families rebuild love and trust and seeing a formerly reluctant child run eagerly into the arms of their other parent – you have a great smile and a tear at the same time!
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