Community Contact
Supported Contact
Supervised Contact
Escorted Contact
INFORMATION BOOKLET- DIAMONDS KIDZ CONTACT SERVICES
Diamonds Kidz Contact Services
“transforming and building family lives”
Where we are:
Diamonds Kidz Contact Services
Harmony Hall, 10 Truro Road
Walthamstow, London, E17 7BY
Diamonds Kidz Outreach Family Centre
41 West Street
Leytonstone
London, E11 4LJ
We hire the hall on the following day, so please do not come to the centre without prior arrangements. Telephone 07427 027 347 Contact Centre opening hours:
Saturday & Sundays – 10.00am – 6.00pm
Monday – Fridays: 10.00am to 6.00pm
All Correspondence Send to: Email:diamondskidzcontactservices@gmail.com
Web:www.diamondskidzcontactservices.co.uk
Ethos & Philosophy of our Child Contact Service
Our Centre works on an equal opportunities basis with respect to all families using our Centre and our Workers. Diamonds Kidz believe that, children have a right to a family life that is safe, loving and adequate to their needs. Families should then be supported in their efforts to take the best possible care for their children.
The welfare and safety of children is paramount:
Safer care is a core value. Children and their families should be actively involved in the assessment. We value difference and challenge any behaviour that undermines it. Children and their families have the right to expect services of the highest quality. We acknowledge that many of the families referred face substantial problems related to the parents’ and/or significant others’ own difficulties. Often the adults have to deal with the effects of abuse and neglect in their own childhood, as well as more recent problems and disappointments. Families also face disadvantages related to disabilities, health problems, losses, poverty, social exclusion and discrimination.
We work to understand and lessen these pressures on families whenever possible, so that children can have the best possible family relationship.
Diamonds Kidz Contact Services
Provides the following services:
Supervised contact is used in cases where it is believed that the child has suffered, or may suffer, harm during contact. This form of contact is typically used when a referral has been made by a public body such as the court, CAFCASS, the local authority or Solicitors. Contact takes place in a contact centre and is supervised by a professional member of staff at all times, with a colleague on hand to provide assistance if required. Details of these sessions are recorded by the staff. The contact centre will be made aware of the details of your case, including relevant court papers and judgements.
Escorted contact – a professional worker will accompany the child and parent on visits to outside activities such as parks or shops. Our qualified staff will produce a report on that visit.
Supported contact – a neutral community venue, with facilities to support the parent not living with the child (and other family members) in maintaining a meaningful relationship with them. Staff and volunteers are on hand but families are not monitored or evaluated, and reports are not made by staff following contact. Supported contact is used in cases where no welfare risks to the child have been identified. You may share the hall with other families during your visit.
Handover – is when the children can be passed between parents, without them needing to come into contact together. The parent who the child lives with can drop the child off with the centre staff and/or volunteers, from where the parent not living with the child will pick the child up, and return them at the end of the visit. In some instances, it may be possible for handovers to be made outside of the contact centre.
In House and Community Parenting assessment (where a professional worker goes to the family’s home to assess their parenting capacity) Please note that in a situation where the parents do not wish to or cannot meet during the contact, Diamonds Kidz Contact Services can provide alternative arrangements.
Family Support Services– this is where Support Workers visit families to empower them to reach their full potential. Provide advice to families and to carry out a planned piece of work with families to enable them to stay together.
School escort– pick-ups and drop offs- price depends on distance
Our facilities
The facilities at Diamonds Kidz Contact Services are of the highest standard. Our setting offers the following facilities: Three contact rooms, toilets, kitchen and a waiting area. (Please note, we do encourage parents to leave the contact centre once their child settles)
Activities: We provide a variety of age appropriate toys such as soft toys, educational games, interactive gadgets and books, arts and crafts materials for use during contact visit.
Aims
Diamonds Kidz Contact Services aims to provide a specialised, professional, effective, safe and caring environment for supervised contact between children and their parents or significant others.
Our assessments are used to advise Social Services, Courts and Solicitors of possible ways forward to ensure that children’s needs are met.
Diamonds Kidz Contact Services provides a safe and nurturing environment within which adult members can be given the chance to show that they can care for their children and keep them safe. Child Protection Safer care underpins the work of the Centre.
We practice in accordance with internal procedures that aim to minimise risks and promote welfare and safety, and adhere to the All London Child Protection Policies and Procedures.
Internal line management ensures that communication is effective and that we work in partnership with children and families as well as professional agencies. There is a minimum of two staff on duty at any time. All staffs at the centre are Disclosure and Barring Service checked (DBS) before they are appointed and are trained to identity signs and symptoms of abuse. They have a duty to report any concerns
House Rules
The following rules are for the benefit of all Service Users. They are laid down so as to ensure that everyone accessing our Services does so peacefully and cheerfully.
Please do not bring any other person who is not on the referral with you to the Contact Centre for Health & Safety purposes
Once contact begins we ask that you remain in the centre and do not access any other part of the building
Any person displaying violence, bad language, intimidation or aggression inside or directly outside of the contact centre will automatically lose their place at the centre.
Aggressive and intimidating conduct towards staff will not be tolerated and may lead to place being withdrawn.
Any person arriving at the centre under the influence of drugs or alcohol will be asked to leave immediately and will lose their place.
Smoking is not permitted inside or directly outside of the centre.
If you do not attend 2 contact sessions without informing the contact centre of a valid reason, your place will be allocated to another family.
Children are the responsibility of the visiting person (parents / carers) at all times. Staff will be at hand to help if needed.
Visitor must arrive 15 minutes prior to the escorting person and child arriving. The visitor must stay behind 15 minutes after session has ended.
Please switch off mobile phone during contact sessions. Photos and Videoing are not allowed on our premises. Any information relating to court should not to be discussed during contact session
Please do not bring any balloons, flying toys, toy guns etc while at our centre.
Please do not ask your children to pass gifts, belongings, money, requests or messages (either verbally or written) to your ex-partner.
The police will be called in an emergency by staff member.
Staff will support parents and/or significant others to report any illness, injury or incident involving a child.
All staff members are not permitted to administer prescription drugs to children or adults.
We have a clear policy about respect for others, including children’s parents and/or significant others and staff. Discriminatory or offensive remarks or gestures are unacceptable and will be challenged and the contact will be terminated.
Cancellation of contact Diamonds Kidz Contact Services reserves the right to refuse or terminate contact in the event of inappropriate behaviour or if the child’s wellbeing may be in danger. If contact has been delayed for whatever reason the session may still go ahead but only for the remaining time left.
The cancellation of the contact should only take place in emergency to avoid disappointing children and disruptions to carer’s plans. Late cancellation (less than 48 hours) will result in the full payment being charged. It is to cover the cost of the hall and staff booked for the session. NB Contact arrangements must not be withdrawn as a sanction imposed on a child.
Please note staffs do not write reports or comment on supported contact sessions unless we feel there is a safeguarding issue. Only dates and times of attendance will be given out upon request.
Written Report is provided for all Supervised contact sessions
Complaints and implementation of procedures complaints
Complaints and Implementation of procedures Complaints can be made to the Centre by anyone using our services, professionals or service users.
The Managing Directors will deal with all complaints. We endeavour to provide feedback to these complaints within 3 days verbally and 10 days in writing following internal investigation. If necessary, independent advice will be sought regarding the complaint. For further detailed information please see the Centre’s Complaints Policy.
The Contact Services Managers are responsible for overseeing and implementing this policy.
Assessment and Contact
Diamonds Kidz Contact Services provides a high quality assessment within the framework of the Children Act 1989, the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families, and the Family Caring Trust.
We also use behavioural approaches, in which we look at specific behaviours and their impact, and try to support parents to find alternatives. We will provide support and strategies for parents and/or significant others about parenting. We work closely with other professionals involved with the family, e.g. Children’s Guardians, Teachers and Health Visitors.
Confidentiality
Information regarding contact and assessment is shared with relevant professionals as agreed. As Diamonds Kidz Centre is committed to protecting children, all staff will have a duty to report any incidents or information of concern. If in the course of the assessment, information is shared with staff, which indicates that someone has been placed at, or is at risk of harm, this will be shared with the relevant professionals.
Our staff will not discuss information pertaining to families with other families. Files will be kept in a locked cabinet in the main office and remain Page 7 of 8 confidential.
The files will be accessible to the Parent and/or significant others on application. Diamonds Kidz Contact Services will need to write to third parties for consent about disclosing information in accordance with our policies and procedures.
Criteria and Referrals
Diamonds Kidz Contact Services accepts referrals directly from parents and relatives.
Families may also be referred by Local Authority Social Workers, Children’s Guardians, Family Solicitors, the courts.
We accept referrals from any local authority wherever possible.
We work with families where there are serious concerns about parents’ and/or significant others’ ability to look after children and keep them safe.
We work with families who are expecting babies.
We work with parents and/or significant others with learning or physical difficulties who may need ongoing services to assist their parenting.
We accept referrals where drug or alcohol abuse is a current concern. As we recognise that a lot of our service users may be experiencing difficulties with drugs and/or alcohol, we have mechanisms in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and staff.
A parent and/or significant other may be asked to leave the Centre if members of staff are concerned about drug or alcohol use.
Parents have full responsibility for their children during contact; however, staff at the Centre will ensure that children remain safe.
We work with parents from the age of sixteen.
When considering a referral, please note that Diamonds Kidz Contact Services staffs are not permitted to administer medication for adults or children.
Registration
There will be a £50 non-refundable registration fee for all families who wish to use our service. This will be made prior or on the day they arrive for their pre contact visit at the centre.
Diamonds Kidz Contact Services invites all parents and children to a pre-contact visit at the Centre. This will be arranged at different times. The purpose of this is to give everyone a chance to go through the referral, ask any questions and to become familiar with the Centre ahead of contact taking place.
P.O.A. for 2hrs or more Includes Supervised Contact – facilitated by qualified social workers/ staff.
P.O.A. for 2hrs or more Includes Escorted Contact – facilitated by qualified social workers / staff.
Report: 1 hour written report provided for supervised contact and Escort
P.O.A. for 2hrs or more Supported Contact – facilitated by qualified staff/and volunteers. No report produced
P.O.A. each way Handover/Pickup – additional fees will be applied if families wish for handover to be held away from the contact centre
P.O.A Includes report In House and Community Parenting assessment – facilitated by qualified social workers / staff.
School escort– pick-ups and drop offs- price depends on distance
Family Support Work with Report-P.O.A Family Support Work with Report and travel -P.O.A /–Monday to Fridays
Family Support Work with Report-£P.O.A per/hour Family Support Work with Report and travel -P.O.A per/hour /–Saturdays and Sundays
Venue only – P.O.A per hour
Finding Us
Diamonds Kidz Contact Services Ltd is in the Heart of Walthamstow Central.
With rich cultural diversity and in the middle of London’s longest traditional Market. Beautiful large Shopping Mall, Cinema, Theatre, Restaurants, Banks, Library, Park with children’s playground and a few minutes away from William Morris Art’s Centre and Lloyds Park.
How to get to Walthamstow:
Victoria line and National Rail
Approx. 5 minutes walking distance from Walthamstow central and St James Stations
Buses: W11, W12,W15, W19, 34, 48, 58, 69, 97, 212, 257
Parking permits available @ only £1 per hour.
Diamonds Kidz Outreach Family Centre is suited in in the middle of Leytonstone with Restaurants, Banks, Library and variety of shops. Next to the Centre is children’s playground with football pitch and library within the centre. There are two other parks few distance away including Swimming and leisure centre with soft play area. It is also 12minutes away from Westfield Shopping Mall and Lloyds Park with various family activities.
How to get to Leytonstone:
Overground and Central line
Approx. 5minutes walking distance from Leytonstone with Overground
Approx. 8minutes walking distance from Leytonstone Station with Central Line
Buses: From Walthamstow Central to Leytonstone station- W15 and W19
From Walthamstow central and Stratford Station to Leytonstone High Street- 257
From Leyton Station to Leytonstone West Street- W14
Car park next to Leisure Centre- Parking tickets machines available @ only £1 per hour.