Contact Centre
The Contact Centre is the church's response to an ever increasing problem within our society. Child Contact Centres are neutral meeting places where children can enjoy time with family members when other arrangements or communication has broken down.
For instance, a mum whose children live with their grandparents, a non-resident father whose children live with their mother or both parents if a child is living with a foster family, might use a contact centre.

The problem
Family breakdown is an increasing problem within our communities. Everyone caught up in these situations will suffer but it can be especially difficult for the children of broken relationships.
When one parent leaves the family home it can be like a bereavement. For some children there is even a sense of guilt as if they have been responsible for the break up. They love both parents but often find themselves drawn to one side of the argument or the other. It is particularly sad when parents use the children as weapons against each other.

The effects
Family breakdown can have long-term effects; many adults today can feel the affects of the break up of their own parents when they were children.
It is widely recognised that children cope better with family breakdown if they can maintain contact with both parents, especially in the early stages.

The solution
The Contact Centre does not provide a solution to family breakdown but does give the opportunity for children to spend time with the estranged parent. So often, the relationships between the parents are so acrimonious that no other venue can be found to cope with this situation.
As a church that wants to serve the local community, we felt that we had the premises, facilities and long-term commitment to run a Contact Centre. We have now been running for over 3 years and in that time have helped dozens of families through some difficult times.