Letterbox / Indirect Terms & Conditions

1. Letters and parcels should be sent to Families Forward unsealed and unwrapped, and clearly labelled as to who the item is from and to whom it should be sent. Families Forward will then check the contents to ensure they are appropriate for the children, or in line with any Court Order that is in place. If necessary, anything deemed to be inappropriate will be returned to the sender with an explanation as to why that decision has been made. All contents are noted in the family file. Families Forward will not wrap presents. If presents are received that are wrapped we will check with any legal representatives and/or CAFCASS to see if they should be sent unopened. In these circumstances Families Forward cannot be held responsible for their contents.

2. Families Forward will aim to send all mail out within 7 days of receipt. This should be borne in mind when sending celebration cards, eg Eid, birthday, Easter. However, due to Christmas closure, any items intended as Christmas gifts should be received by Families Forward by 15 December in order to guarantee Christmas delivery. All items are sent by first class signed for delivery which is tracked and the receipt recorded on the family file. Where items are not delivered or collected, and then returned to Families Forward, the sender will be informed. The non-resident parent would be liable for the cost of resending the items.

3. Where it is ordered by the Court that a supported session be held to handover the item(s) to a child, and their reaction monitored, this will be charged as a supported session at £50.00. The cost of this session is to be met in advance by the non-resident parent, unless otherwise stipulated and agreed. Items to be handed over in this way, along with payment, should be received at least a week in advance to give time to arrange a session, and the items checked to ensure they are appropriate to be passed on. If they are not appropriate, the non-resident party will be informed as to the reasons why.

4. Payment should be made for each contact in advance in line with the following:

Once the item is tracked and delivery advised, an invoice will be sent to the non-resident parent to cover the postage costs. We will not post any items out until payment for the previous occasion is received. The price of our indirect service also includes a letter to the Court to inform them of the frequency and appropriateness of communication, if this is requested in writing. Invoices will also be sent to the non-resident parent for items sent from the resident parent to the non-resident parent (this could be school reports, photographs, cards from the children), unless otherwise specified in the Court Order. Items will not be sent if the account is in arrears.

Payments should be made to:

5. Once delivery is tracked, a text message or email will be forwarded to the sender to inform of successful receipt of the item.

6. It is the role of Families Forward to pass on any items sent though them in a timely manner. It is not the responsibility of Families Forward to enforce a Court Order where one party is not adhering to its terms. If this happens, then the matter should be dealt with through the parties’ legal representatives.

7. Families Forward reserves the right to close a file when there has been no activity for three months from non-receipt of a scheduled letter or gift, etc. Contact will also be stopped if the Court Order is not adhered to.

8. Feedback and complaints

8.1 Families Forward wishes to ensure that all those who use our service receive a courteous and professional response and one that is appropriate to their needs regardless of gender, race, language, religion or disability. We welcome and value your feedback.

8.2 If you are not satisfied with the way Families Forward is working with your family, you can make a complaint, in line with the Families Forward Complaints Procedure, which you can request at any time. In the first instance we encourage you to speak to your key worker, or Centre Manager. However, if your issue is not resolved by these means, you may wish to make a formal representation as described in the Complaints Procedure.

9. Quality Assurance

Families Forward is an enhanced accredited centre with the National Association of Child Contact Centres. In respect of the accreditation process, this agency will perform quality assurance checks on our work. Information shared for this purpose will be considered solely as a reflection of Families Forward and the quality of work they provide, and on the understanding that confidentiality is protected. Any parent has the right to refuse to give such permission. No files will be shared unless both parents give permission for Families Forward to do so.

10. Security and retention of information

All records will be kept electronically using a secure recording system and will only be used for the purpose of facilitating the service required. Unless there are safeguarding concerns that need to be referred to the appropriate agency, information will not be passed to any other party without the prior consent of the individual concerned, or their parent if they are under 16. Families Forward do not pass on any personal details to agencies not involved in the contact process. All documents are saved or scanned electronically and any paper documents will be confidentially disposed of. All electronic records will be retained for three years following closure, and then will be securely and confidentially deleted.

11. Declaration

The submission of the referral form is taken as an indication that both parties agree to the Terms and Conditions of Letterbox contact.

April 2025

Registered Company Number: 5323430 Registered Charity Number: 1139557

Oaktree House, 408 Oakwood Lane, Leeds LS8 3LG

Telephone 0113 235 9322