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What is the Children's Contact Service? |
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The Children's Contact Service provides safe, neutral, onsite facilitated changeovers and supervised contact visits for children and their separated parents. Parental separation can be a very difficult time for families. In particularly, it is hard for children who want to love both parents. Conflict between parents pains children and is harmful to them. Spending good times with each parent is very important to children and helps their development. The aim of the Children's Contact Service is to minimise the children's exposure to unsafe and conflictual situations between parents. The service provides children with the opportunity to maintain a meaningful relationship with their non-residential parent.
Workers at the Children's Contact Service support children and parents during this difficult time. The children's safety and wellbeing will always be the first priority of workers. Workers will advance 'the best interests' of children through 'child focused' best practice service delivery. |
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What does the Children's Contact Service Provide? |
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At the Children's Contact Service we offer you and your children all the advantages of a child focused service, a safe neutral and comfortable location, qualified and experienced professional staff, a pleasant children's play area with toys, games and equipment, and separate entrances and parking areas for each parent. |
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Who Can Use the Children's Contact Service? |
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This service is specifically for children up to 12 years of age (or up to 14 years of age if they're with younger brothers or sisters). Please note that children who are under a state order are not eligible for the Children's Contact Service as their contact arrangements are the responsibility of the State Government. |
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How Can You Use the Children's Contact Service? |
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Telephone Community West on 9363 1811 to find out more about the service. If you decide to use the service an Application form will be forwarded to you or you can download the form below. Please complete the form and return to us, together with a copy of your current Family Court Order, if applicable.
Once all forms are received from all parties, the Program Manager will meet with each parent separately, to discuss particular needs. Workers also spend time with the children involved before the first supervised contact visit occurs. Download the Parent Application Form Microsoft Word Version of Parent Application (55KB) |
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What is the Cost of Using the Children's Contact Service? |
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Each parent pays $5.00 for each visit. |
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Funding for the Children's Contact Service is administered by the Department of Family and Community Services (FACS). The Children's Contact Services Program is a sub-program of the Family Relationships Services Program. For more information on FACS,
visit: www.facs.gov.au The Children's Contact Service is a member of Family Services Australia (FSA). For more information on FSA
visit: www.fsa.org.au |
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When is the Children's Contact Service Available? |
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The Children's Contact Service is available during the following times: Friday 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm
Saturday 9.30 am to 5.00 pm
Sunday 3.30 pm to 6.30 pm Specific times will be arranged for you to use the service and the times you wish to use the Service are subject to availability. Supervised contact visits are conducted for 2 hours, once a fortnight. Changeovers can be weekly or fortnightly. We will endeavour to be flexible and accommodate your needs, within the hours of operation. Please remember you must make prior arrangements to use the service. |
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Resources for Children's Contact Services Workers |
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Helping To Put Kids First
"Helping to put kids first" is a guide for workers in Children's Contact Services written by David Cherry with Deborah Davison. This guide has been written for workers who supervise contact between parents and their children and who facilitate changeovers. The aim of the booklet is to assist workers in understanding the child, the parent and the interaction between the parent and child. It is hoped that the suggestions on communicating with the child, planning before a contact visit, worker safety and how to intervene during a contact visit when there are concerns, will be helpful. Order Now for Just Aus $10
Download the Order Form:
Microsoft Word Version of Order Form (35KB)
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Version of Order Form (82KB) A Guide to Establish a Children's Contact Service
"A Guide to Establish a Children's Contact Service" is a guide for any organisation setting up a Children's Contact Service. The Guide is written by Deborah Davison, one of the founders of the Children's Contact Service movement in Australia. Order Now for Just Aus $50
Download the Order Form:
Microsoft Word Version of Order Form (36KB) |
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Australian Children's Contact Services Association
The Association is voluntary, non-profit and independent. The members of the Association include service providers, social workers, psychologists, counsellors, lawyers, academics, and researchers. Individuals and organisations may join the Association or register to be kept informed.
www.accsa.org.au Family Court
For more information on Family Law and other legal process regarding children's contact, visit the Family Court of Australia's website.
www.familycourt.gov.au If you do not already have a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download it for free from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. |
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