mrs anne o kelly director cloona child contact services

1. Mrs Anne O�Kelly Director Cloona Child Contact Services

2. Context Research Legislation Government policy

3. Research Poverty Financial hardship can limit educational achievement; Family conflict before, during and after separation can contribute to behavioural problems; Parental ability to recover from distress of separation can in turn affect children's ability to adjust; Multiple changes in family structure can increase the probability of poor outcomes; Quality contact with the non-resident parent can improve outcomes.

4. Legislation The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; The European Convention on Human Rights - the Right to a Fair Trial and Article 8 The Right to Respect for Private Family Life; The Children�s (NI) Order 1995, Articles 8-16.

5. Government PolicyGovernment Policy has recognised the need for more supported approach to family separation and breakdown in the following: Making Contact Work: A Report To The Lord Chancellor On The Facilitation Of Arrangements For Contact Between Children And Their Non-Residential Parents And Enforcement Of Court Orders For Contact; The Advisory Board On Family Law; Children Act Sub-Committee; 2002; The Government�s Response to the Children Act Sub-Committee (CASC) report �Making Contact Work�; Joint Report of Department of Constitutional Affairs and Department of Education and Science; March 2004; COAC Court Children�s Officers: Report of the Court Children�s Officers Sub-Committee; 2005; Our Children and Young People - Our Pledge: A Ten Year Strategy for Children and Young People in Northern Ireland OFMDFM; 2006; Families Matter: Supporting Families in Northern Ireland; DHSSPS; January 2007; Parental Separation: Children�s Needs and Parents� Responsibilities, Next Steps; HM Government; January 2005.

6. Child Centred Approach The importance of a child centred approach is central to all of the work at Cloona.

7. Vision Our core vision is that children and parents who participate in our Centre�s work will achieve personal growth and live in positive, meaningful relationships with each other after parental separation.

8. Mission Provide a range of contact services that meets the needs of children following parental separation; Develop early intervention strategies to promote child centred practices and positive co-operative parenting following parental separation or divorce; Provide a one stop shop in a child centred location for children and families experiencing distress following separation and divorce. Our services enable separating families to acknowledge and focus on the best interests of their children in their post separation arrangements; Promote and deliver a child focused mediation service; Develop a child centred service model for children and families that empower children to navigate a path through the family change process using an holistic systemic approach.

9. Value/Base and Principles Key Themes are: the centrality of the child; inclusion; partnership; participation; commitment to equality and best practice standards of provision.

10. Theory into Practice Family Systems we use a holistic multi-disciplinary approach that ensures we attend to the needs and interests of all concerned.

11. Attachment and Loss Theory Through the child centred practice professional expertise of staff, sessional workers and volunteers we identify the signals of distress caused by loss in children. In consultation with parents strategies are adapted to reduce the distress levels in children.

12. Trauma we recognise that some children may have lived with a level of conflict and tension in the home prior to parental separation. In consultation with parents we provide therapeutic intervention to enable children to confide their sad and angry feelings.

13. Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) We create an awareness of PAS by raising the conscious awareness of individuals and groups that we interact with in any information, advice, or educational forums. We discuss with parents, both formally and informally, the impact of PAS behaviours and the very negative impact on their children, themselves and their wider family networks.

14. Conflict Resolution Theory Dynamics of Conflict Child Focused Mediation Complimentary Perspectives Welfare Perspective Citizenship Perspective

15. Identity provide ongoing consistent and regular contact for children with their non-resident parent and their wider extended family network.

16. Resilience provide Seasons for Growth programmes at the Contact Centre in schools and community settings for both children and adults. These programmes increase awareness of the protective factors necessary to manage change in every day life.

17. Structure of Organisation

18. Model of Delivery The Services

19. Court Children�s Services In Court liaison legal representatives Individual work with children Individual work with adults Family Work Facilitated Contact Mediation (Evaluative Model)

20. Court Children�s Pathway

21. Supported Services Mediation (Facilitative Model) Supported Contact Intensive Supported Contact Counselling (one to one support with adults) Therapeutic intervention with children (individuals) Parenting Family Support Seasons for Growth

22. Supported Contact Pathway

23. Outcomes For the child For the parents For extended family For the community For the statutory services For legal services

24. Conclusion Key learning from the Model of Practice Offers parents a practical way to reach consensual agreement Evidences the potential for statutory, voluntary and community organisations to work in such a way that inter-agency working achieves a synergy to the benefit of children experiencing the effects of acrimonious parental separation Provides an exemplar of a cost-effective alternative to the adversarial character of Court proceedings to resolve disputes between parents over access to their children The Partnership�s future remains uncertain due to the ever-greater pressure on public expenditure. It is important resources are secured if the partnership is to continue to implement this model of practice we have described

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