Funding raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery will enable the creation of new inclusive tools to help ensure that parenting doesn’t end when relationships do.
An £18,000 grant to the National Association of Child Contact Centres (NACCC) from People’s Postcode Trust, a grant giving charity funded entirely by the lottery players, will enable the organisation to digitise and update its literature and materials that prepare children for keeping in touch with both parents after divorce or separation.
Child contact centres provide a safe, neutral, welcoming space for children to spend time with parents after separation.
Currently, books are used to prepare children for their initial meeting, but the grant will ensure that children have more time to prepare by going online.
The NACCC accredits 350 centres nationwide run by around 4,000 volunteers and 1,000 staff run. Over 17,000 children benefitted from accredited services in the past year.
Sir James Munby, Former President of the Family Division of the High Court of England & Wales and President of the NACCC said:
The NACCC plays a vital role in ensuring that parenting shouldn’t end when relationships do.Child contact centres enable parenting to continue after a relationship ends, ensuring children feel supported and are safe.
We greatly welcome the People’s Postcode Trust award which will help modernise the way we support children and parents after separation.
NACCC Chief Executive, Elizabeth Coe, said:
The Family Justice Young People’s Board, which is run by children and young people, who have experienced parental separation, advised NACCC on the need for new materials to prepare children for contact.
We are therefore delighted that the People’s Postcode Trust has given us this grant which will deliver on what young people need.
With more financial support, such as that from People’s Postcode Trust, the NACCC can continue to ensure safety and contact is maintained for children.
The news comes as NACCC trustee, Judge Ray Singh CBE, has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate (Doctor of Law) by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. He was the first ethnic minority judge on the Welsh bench.
Ray Singh CBE, commented:
The work of child contact centres has never been more important as a lack of contact or exposure to conflict, has a negative impact on a child’s emotional, health and educational wellbeing.
These negative impacts can start from 6 months-old and last into adolescence and adulthood. We welcome the People’s Postcode Trust award and look forward to developing the much needed inclusive literature to prepare children for child contact.
The new materials will include an app, website pages and new books to support children before they attend a child contact centre. The project will run from July 2019 to January 2020.
For more information about child contact centres visit https://naccc.org.uk
Image: Stock photography via NACCC