Parent Contact Issues
Family Connections is a pilot service funded by Cardiff Children’s Services and jointly delivered by Cardiff Women’s Aid (CWA) and a partner agency.
The Family Connections Service is aimed at supporting Children in Need to have a better relationship with the parent who does not live with them without recourse to solicitors.
How does it work?
Social workers refer cases to Cardiff Women’s Aid via Cardiff Family Intervention and Support Services (FISS).
Referrals are those where children live with one parent, and have expressed a need to have increased contact with their non-resident parent.
Ami Wilcox (CWA) works with the resident parent and children and Lindy Clifton (FNF Cymru) works with the non-resident parent. Working closely Ami and Lindy meet with each parent (up to 7 sessions) identifying realistic and achievable ways to enable the children to enjoy more contact time with the non-resident parent. Information is shared and parents may be challenged about how they present to their children.
By working directly with the children either at their school or at their home, Ami explores how the children feel about their new way of life and provides opportunities for them to have a voice in the contact arrangements.
Family Connections will attend multi-agency meetings where appropriate and will keep Social Workers informed. Family Connections may also identify other services that they feel would be beneficial to the family and in such cases will make recommendations for the Social Worker to follow up if they feel it is appropriate to do so.
Any Social Workers in Cardiff can refer suitable cases or make enquiries to FISS on 20541401.