Information for Parents and Carers

If you are preparing yourself and your children for beginning visits at our Children's Contact Service we know this could be a challenging time with lot of emotions. Our aim, always, is make sure you and your family have a positive experience and feel supported during your time with us.

Below you will find some information about using our Children's Contact Service along with tips to help you prepare for your first visit. You will also find some helpful commonly asked questions in the section below. If you have any further questions don't hesitate to reach out to our client experience team.

Parent Intake

The parent intake is the initial appointment with one of our contact workers. Both parents or carers will need to complete separate intakes as it will help us determine if our service is the right option for you and if so, helps us understand your unique family circumstance so we can develop goals that align with your family’s needs.

Orientation

Orientation is a chance for you and your children to learn more about Children's Contact Service, helping all to understand how and where the visits or change-overs will take place. All children attend at least one individual orientation along with the parent they live with , giving everyone a chance to ask questions and share how they are feeling about the process. We want to ensure you're all comfortable.

You are encouraged to visit the centre in person, meeting the contact workers and allowing the children to have a play in the space. If visits are online we can arrange to meet via video to show you how the online visits work including how to use the technology. If visits are in the community the orientation can also include exploring the locations for visits.

Tips to Help You Prepare

Preparing for your first visit can be daunting both for you and your children and is completely normal. To help the process go smoothly, we've put together a few tips to help you prepare:

1. Confirm your attendance 1-2 days before your visit. Just like any other appointment there may be external circumstances that impact this so it is best to communicate any changes before the scheduled day as soon as possible. 
2. Speak to your children openly about the upcoming visit or changeover. Let them know it’s ok if they're feeling nervous and try to keep the conversation positive about the new situation. Allow them to express how they’re feeling and support them to become more comfortable managing their own emotions.
3. Mindfulness and breathing exercises are great tools if you or your children are feeling nervous about the upcoming visit or changeover. Taking a few moments for a mindful exercise can assist both of you to feel calm and more at ease.
4. Give yourself space to prepare and feel confident before the visit. Whether it’s exercising, speaking with a friend or counsellor, or something else that makes you feel good, you will be in a calmer and more confident headspace to better manage your emotions during this time.
5. Prepare what to pack for your children ahead of time. It can be a good idea to include them in the process and help them feel more comfortable in the new environment. Ask them to help you identify what to take such as toys, food and drinks. Make sure you include the essentials such as sunscreen, nappies, hat and a change of clothes. Contact staff will ensure each parent is clear on what they are responsible for packing for the visit or changeover.
6. Plan how you’re going to get there and leave enough time to get there before the visit starts. It’s a good idea to identify where you can park if driving - you can check more details on our locations page or with your local contact worker.
7. Consider what you’ll do during the visit. For the visiting parent you may want to plan an activity to do with your children when you're there. Feel free to bring food to share or toys to play with. For the parent dropping the children off, consider how to use the free time - visit a friend, run errands, or take some time for yourself.