Supported contact takes place in a variety of neutral community venues where there are facilities to enable children to develop and maintain positive relationships with non-resident parents and other family members. Supported Child Contact Centres are suitable for families when no significant risk to the child or those around the child has been identified.

The basic elements of supported contact are as follows:

• Impartiality.
• Staff and volunteers are available for assistance but there is no close observation, monitoring or evaluation of individual contacts/conversations.
• Several families are usually together in one or a number of rooms.
• Encouragement for families to develop mutual trust and consider more satisfactory family venues.
• Apart from attendance dates and times, no detailed report will be made to a referrer, CAFCASS, a party’s solicitor or court, unless there is a risk of harm to the child, parent or Centre worker.
• An acknowledgement that it be viewed as a temporary arrangement to be reviewed after an agreed period of time.

Volunteers will be given policies and procedures, shadow sessions, various training opportunities and support from the co-ordinator and peers.