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We provide services for children from our purpose-built children’s centre, Stephen’s Place.  The centre is bright, warm and child-focused.  Themed rooms have a wide variety of play equipment, chosen to help parents interact easily with their children.  There are two outdoor play areas with equipment, one of which is an enclosed garden. Light refreshments for children and their families are freely available in the kitchens.

 

Stephen’s Place is accredited by the National Association of Child Contact Centres (NACCC) to enhanced level. We were the first centre in the country to achieve this.

 

  • We offer supervised contact for children affected by domestic violence and family breakdown. 
  • We undertake contact assessments, to identify the issues that have made contact break down or become unworkable.
  • We provide a therapeutic service for children and young people affected by domestic violence.  This is free for children and young people aged between three and 17 years, who live in the London Boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham, Hounslow, Ealing and Wandsworth.  

 

 

About supervised contact

Contact at Stephen’s Place gives children and young people a safe and supported environment to meet a non-resident parent or family member.  This service can also be beneficial when children have not seen their natural parent for a considerable time, or are uncertain about whether they want contact.

 

We supervise and observe all contact sessions.  We encourage children and young people to re-establish, develop and enjoy their relationships. We support parents to take responsibility for their own future family contact arrangements, where this is safe.  We keep records of contact sessions, to support the protection of children and our planned work with their parents.

 

We tailor our services to meet more complex needs: where appropriate we can offer support to children around their life story and identity and their experience of domestic abuse. 

 

We can plan and supervise contact outings, with the agreement of all parties involved. Stephen’s Place is three minutes’ walk from Ravenscourt Park, and there are cafes and restaurants nearby.  We can also supervise contact further afield when appropriate: for example, visits to London Zoo, the Science Museum or other venues.

 

Stephen’s Place has a separate, secure entrance for parents and carers, and a secure waiting area. We have specialist security staff and an alarm system for a quick police response, so we are able to take higher-risk cases.   

 

We offer staggered arrival and departure times to the parties involved.  We can offer a handover service if you arrange this with us in advance. This is carried out by our staff so that parents do not have to meet. Please contact us for more information about the costs of this additional service.

 

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About contact assessments

A contact assessment can identify the issues that have made contact break down or become unworkable.  To find out more about this service and its costs, please contact us.

 

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About our child therapeutic service

Our service aims to lessen the impacts of domestic violence.  Research has shown that the impact of domestic abuse on children is considerable, and can be as serious as the impact on children who have been directly abused.  We offer children and young people a safe, consistent and confidential space to work through their difficult experiences and feelings.

 

Our therapists are psychologists with specific training in domestic abuse issues in clinical practice. They are members of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and/or the Health Professionals Council (HPC) and are bound by a strict code of ethics. They receive one-to-one specialist clinical supervision.  They are fully CRB checked.

 

We tailor therapy to the child’s needs and age. For younger children, we use play therapy to explore their feelings; for older children and young people we use a range of exploratory therapeutic techniques including the creative arts.

 

Therapy is medium to long-term: we usually see a child on a weekly basis for up to five months. This gives time to build a trusting relationship between the child and his or her therapist. Each session is 50 minutes and usually takes place between 10am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

 

Our service is by appointment only. We accept referrals from professionals, parents and young people themselves.  After a referral, we carry out an assessment with the child and their parent or main carer, to confirm whether therapy is suitable and meets the child’s needs. 

 

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