The parents come for a number of reasons: because they need to rebuild confidence for the children and for themselves. There may be a long gap when contact has stopped and it needs to be restarted. One of the parents may have moved away and needs a venue where they can see their children on a regular basis. For others there may have been issues of domestic violence or drink which has damaged the relationship between the parents.

It is a fact that, without Contact Centres, many children may not be able to maintain a meaningful relationship with the parent they do not live and with their extended families. Parents would not have an opportunity to rebuild the trust that is often lost following separation. Many of our cases come as referrals from the Courts when there is no viable alternative. Our Centres provide an invaluable service to children who otherwise might suffer damage as a result of acrimonious separations.

Research carried out by Social Scientists show that on the whole, children who maintain a good relationship with both parents "do better" in all respects of their lives. We ask parents to complete evaluation questionnaires to monitor the service we provide. Comments such as "I would not be able to see my child if it was not for your centre" and "it has been the only contact with my child other than the telephone". The success of the Centres is in the number of families who move on.