NACCC’s main responsibility is the accreditation and reaccreditation of member child contact services. We’d love to tell you about all the excellent good work that is being done up and down the country and to give you an idea thought we’d share feedback from our assessor’s visit to Yorkshire Children’s Centre earlier this year. They write:
“Yorkshire Children’s Centre in Huddersfield is an excellent centre which specialises in supervised contact with the benefit of a large well-appointed building centrally located with a high standard of contact provision and access to many complementary services for children and families in the same building. It is managed to a high standard with a strong emphasis on clear policies, accountability, and staff support. Particular strengths are their commitment to diversity in practice (with staff speaking Urdu and Punjabi); their child centred approach (with opportunities for children to express their feelings and needs before, during and after sessions); and a high level of training in place (especially regarding safeguarding).”
“The centre is based in Brian Jackson House which also houses some local authority children’s services including the Local Safeguarding Board partnership. This provides the centre with an invaluable range of on-site support services and advice on safeguarding. Brian Jackson House is a large 6 storey building located directly above the train station and 5 minutes’ walk from the bus station and several large car parks. The building was previously used to repair trains and was purchased by the charity and refurbished. Yorkshire Children’s Centre runs an additional contact centre in Doncaster.”
Yorkshire Children’s Centre has a high commitment to children with them always being offered a pre-visit, good resources in the contact rooms for them to express their feelings including a “Buzz your feelings box”. They also have a child-centred feedback form and a “What about me” form where the child can tell the workers what they like etc.”
NACCC assessor feedback
Leah, co-ordinator at the centre told us:
“We have a passionate team of staff members and volunteers including one long standing volunteer at the Doncaster centre who has been with us for many years. Our staff member delivers contact session on a weekly basis, with support from the volunteers on a weekly and fortnightly basis. Our main aim is to facilitate contact between the child and parent or family member, in safe, child-friendly environment, and to support the child and parents or family member to build a relationship between themselves with the support of staff and volunteers. If anyone would like to volunteer at the Doncaster centre, please contact the Brian Jackson House on 01484 519988 or email ContactUs@yccuk.org.uk”
Checkout the full summary on our website.
