Non-resident Parent or Carer
Are you living away from your children or grandchildren and struggling to agree with the resident parent on regular times to see them? Or perhaps you’ve never seen the child before and you want to establish a relationship with them but find it difficult? We can help.
Here at The Starting Point Centre, we support families going through exactly what you’re going through. We don’t take sides. We don’t pass judgement. We listen. We understand, and we work alongside all parties involved to develop family time plans that fit your situation.
What is a family time plan?
A family time plan is a written plan as to how we will help children and their nonresident family members rebuild their relationship and remain in regular contact. This is developed on the back of a thorough assessment and is based on what is in the best interest of the child. All family time plans are developed to help children eventually become comfortable enough to spend time with the non-resident person outside of our center’s support service.
Depending on your circumstances, your family time plan will include one of the below types of family time as a starter.
Helping you see your children as soon as possible
We understand how difficult it is not to be able to see your children. That’s why we’ve developed a process that focuses on helping you see them as soon as possible, in the safest way. Unlike going through court, you don’t need a legal contact order and you don’t need thousands of pounds. Just a commitment to providing us with the right information for our assessments, and cooperation when we determine what type of contact is best for the child.
Court Process
Need a solicitor
CAFCASS often involved
Multiple court visits
Unaffordable legal fees
Face to face between parties required
Process often takes between 6 and 12 months*
Time and location dictated by court
*Times may vary by court and legal entity. In recent months we have seen a rise in further delays.
Vs.
Our Process
Limits the need for legal representation
Self - referral
Affordable fees
Option to split costs
First contact within 3 weeks*
Times to suit both parties
No face to face between parties required
Family mediation available if required which can start whilst contact is put in place and can support with the development of a parenting plan
*The first contact can take place within 3 weeks after the initial enquiry if all parties complete the relevant parts of the process on time.
What you will need to proceed
Before you can begin, we always recommend checking that you have the correct information that will be required at certain points in the referral process. This is why we’ve created a short checklist for you to reference before making your referral.
· The name and contact details for the resident parent
· Any documentation from courts or mediation sessions (if relevant)
· An email address to receive documentation
· Details of any previous contact with your child
· The funds to pay the initial referral fee and child contact fees
FAQ’s
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Yes, everyone is able to make a referral and most of the time, it is the non-resident who makes the initial referral. See our referral form.
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On occasions, after a thorough assessment, we identify that a family time centre isn’t the right option. We will always advise you if this is the case.
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Absolutely. We’re not biased, we don’t judge and we don’t assume. Our priority is the child’s safety and wellbeing.
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Without a court order in place, a contact centre referral is only successful where both parties agree. Neither NACCC nor the contact centre have any powers to make anyone attend a child contact centre. If a party is not agreeable to contact, you should seek some legal advice.
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This completely depends on how long the referral process takes and the cooperation of both yourself and the resident parent. We aim to help set up the first contact within 3 weeks, but this again depends on the above.
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This depends on the type of contact. Most contact takes place at the centre, with the exception of community contact which takes place at a neutral location within the community. To find out more, visit our services pages.
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Without your ex’s contact details, we won’t be able to process your referral. This is because we do not have the resources or licences to find people’s details. You may wish to find a local provider that can help you source these details, though this will usually have a cost association.
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Sometimes, you may be able to access funding that can support your mediation or contact requests. Please visit our sister site for more information.
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No not unless it is fully agreed and that the risk assessment known also as the referral evaluation agrees to this taking place. Some families can meet and others cannot. We always focus on safeguarding to enable everyone to feel safe at all times.
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During the initial assessment, we will talk through any concerns you have and discuss your confidence levels. If we feel that additional support is needed for example help changing nappies, feeding, engagement with the child, we will suggest that this is provided during supervised contact.
Next Steps
Feel like we can help you? Reach out to a member of our team who will be more than happy to help you get the process started.
