dad and son playing

Our Services

What is contact?

Contact is the time a child or children spends with a parent or relative who no longer lives with them. Our Centre provides contact in safe and neutral surroundings, using play areas filled with a range of toys and games to make it as relaxed as possible. Contact can be either supervised (both inside and outside the Centre), maintaining, supported, handover (collection and return venue only) and indirect.

Our priority is to ensure contact is enjoyable for children and enables them to spend time with the contact party away from any conflict.

What is supervised contact?

Supervised contact means that someone will always be in sight and sound of the child/ren and will monitor conversations and provide assistance or intervention if necessary.  This can take place inside or outside the building.  A written summary of each session will be provided to both parties.  This is a short term service and can be offered weekly, fortnightly or four-weekly for a maximum of two hours.

What is maintaining contact?

Maintaining contact is for longer term supervised and supported contact arrangements.  We can only facilitate this up to six times a year for a maximum of two hour sessions.

What is supported contact?

Supported contact will take place within the building but a worker is not always in sight and sound of the children.

What is handover?

Our handover service is a pick up and/or drop off collection venue in order facilitate unsupervised contact.

What is indirect/letterbox contact?

This is a checking and sending service for cards, letters and parcels between children and non-resident parent or relative.

Making a referral

Referrals can be made to us by parents and any other professionals involved.

  • Call us

    0113 235 9322
    Office hours 9.00 am - 1.00 pm Tuesday to Thursday
    Answerphone available at all other times

  • Downloads


    Download referral forms and other info

  • The majority of people who have attended are happy they came and say that they felt it was helpful. Here are some quotes from people who have previously attended the course:

    The biggest thank you ever for everything that you have done. You knew what to sat ay the right time. I have been guided and kept sane at times and learnt to take focus. You are all a credit to the Centre.

    The service is amazing and I can’t tell you how much it helped me. Only wish you had a greater influence in Court

    I found the atmosphere at Families Forward warm and welcoming. All the staff worked sensitively and helped contact move on to where me and my ex partner have put our differences aside and we know make our own arrangements for contact. I recommend Families Forward to any parent who finds it difficult to see their children no matter how hard it may seem.

    I believe that the service Families Forward offers is 5 stars. I have been to many centres and this one by far was the best for my child. The staff were approachable, they listened to concerns, they acted in a professional manner and were very welcoming. The children’s safety and welfare was always put first.

    I opted for a couple of supervised sessions instead of the supported that had been ordered. I felt the worker had a great balance between engaging and taking a back seat. I think (the service) is spot on and I was very happy with the Covid protocol

    I was very happy with Families Forward. My worker was great with my child

Registered in England and Wales Company No: 5323430. Charity No: 1139557