Services
Cherished Connections – Ensuring Positive Family Time Through Child-Focused Supervision
OVERVIEW OF SERVICES
Supervised Contact Visits
Our family time facilitator from CC observes the interaction between a child and parent to ensure the visit is in a safe, appropriate, and stress-free environment.
Supervised Transportations
Our qualified staff ensure children are transported to contact visits, changeovers, and other destinations with maximum comfort and safety.
Child Familiarisation Sessions
Our child familiarisation sessions, led by friendly facilitators, guide children through the contact visit process and ease their concerns.
Report Writing
We deliver detailed, professional reports on children’s supervised contact visits, meticulously documenting interactions and observations for court subpoenas.
Supervised Changeovers
Supervisor-facilitated changeovers prevent children from being exposed to parental conflict or anxiety during handovers
Virtual Visits
We take pride in our ability to provide our families state of the art technology whilst offering Telephone/Internet Based Supervised Virtual Visits.
Supervised Contact Visits
Cherished Connections (CC) provides court-ordered and privately arranged supervised contact visits for families, collaborating with the Family Court, Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ), and various non-government organizations. Our primary focus is the safety and well-being of children while supporting meaningful parent-child interactions.
We offer a supportive and positive environment where parents can demonstrate their parenting skills. Visits are conducted at local community locations or private residences, tailored to the family’s needs and relevant legal requirements.
Detailed contact reports are generated for each visit, suitable for court use, documenting interactions and providing timely, comprehensive accounts. Our compassionate facilitators prioritize the child’s welfare, offering guidance and role modelling to promote positive parenting.
Key Features:
- Scheduled Visits: Supervised visits commence at agreed times and locations.
- Parent Coordination: Staggered arrival and departure times to prevent direct encounters between parents.
- Discreet Observation: Facilitators observe interactions discreetly, intervening only as needed to ensure safety and dignity.
Cherished Connections ensures every decision prioritizes the child’s needs, fostering safe and constructive parent-child relationships.
Child Familiarisation Sessions
At Cherished Connections, we recognise that meeting a new family time facilitator can be a significant step for children, especially in the context of supervised contact visits with a parent they may not have seen for some time. To ensure a smoother transition and to alleviate any anxiety, we offer Child Familiarisation Sessions. These sessions are designed to help children feel more comfortable and secure before their supervised visits.
Key Features:
- Pre-Visit Meeting: This optional service, available for a fee, includes a 1 hour session where the child engages in interactive play and conversation with their assigned family time facilitator. This meeting aims to build a sense of trust and familiarity, helping the child feel more at ease with the facilitator and reducing potential anxiety about the upcoming visit.
OR
- Introductory Profile: To further support the child’s transition, we provide a complimentary one-page profile of the facilitator. This introduction includes a photo and details about the facilitator’s interests, allowing the child to get acquainted with them before the visit, thus fostering a sense of connection and comfort. (Please request the introductory profile before the visit begins).
These familiarisation options are highly recommended for families who are concerned about the potential stress of supervised contact visits. By facilitating a positive introduction, we aim to help children feel more secure and engaged, ensuring a more effective and supportive visit experience.
Supervised Transportations
Cherished Connections (CC) offers supervised transportation services to ensure safe and conflict-free transfers for children to and from parents or family members who do not have day-to-day care. Our service also covers transportation to and from school, medical appointments, placement changes, airports, and camps.
Key Features:
- Conflict-Free Transfers: We handle all handovers and transportation arrangements to minimize exposure to parental conflict or anxiety.
- Safety and Comfort: Children are transported in fully insured vehicles with age-appropriate car seats and provided with toys for a comfortable journey.
- Professional Supervision: Regularly supervised by trained professionals, our transportation service ensures a secure and supportive experience.
- Detailed Reporting: We provide a written report documenting interactions with the child during transportation.
Cherished Connections is dedicated to delivering a secure and positive transportation experience for children, covering all essential travel needs.
Report Writing
Cherished Connections (CC) delivers meticulously detailed contact reports for each supervised visit, crafted to meet legal standards and provide a thorough record of the visit. These reports are crucial for court proceedings and offer a comprehensive account of the visit’s events.
Key Features:
- Purpose: Our reports are designed to keep parents, legal representatives, and the Court well-informed about the details and outcomes of each visit.
- Content: Each report includes precise observations of interactions, activities, and any significant incidents. It also provides vital information regarding the child’s well-being, including the nature of discussions and overall engagement.
- Distribution: To ensure transparency and facilitate informed decision-making, reports are shared with all relevant parties, including both parents and the Court.
CC ensures that every report captures the full scope of the supervised visit, documenting the timing, participants, and any observations related to the child’s welfare. This comprehensive approach supports clear communication and effective monitoring of the child’s interactions and safety.
Supervised Changeovers
Cherished Connections (CC) offers professional supervised changeover services, ensuring a secure and neutral transition of children between parents, particularly in high-conflict situations or where direct contact is restricted by Court Orders, such as Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders.
Key Features:
- Secure Transitions: Our service manages the handover of children from one parent to another, minimizing potential conflict and ensuring a safe environment for the child.
- Agreed Locations: Changeovers occur at prearranged locations to suit the needs of the family while maintaining security and neutrality.
- Detailed Reporting: We provide a comprehensive written report documenting the handover process, including interactions and any notable incidents. This report is suitable for court filing and includes details on the child’s interaction with both parents and any other attendees.
- Professional Oversight: All conversations and physical interactions during the changeover are observed and recorded impartially by our trained professionals, ensuring accurate documentation and incident-free transitions.
At CC our child-focused approach aims to facilitate a smooth and stress-free changeover experience, supporting both the child and parents during these critical transitions.
Virtual Visits
Cherished Connections (CC) leverages advanced technology to facilitate safe and secure virtual visits for families. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we offer telephone and internet-based supervised virtual visits (VVs) with a focus on safety, confidentiality, and trauma-informed care.
Key Features:
- Assessment & Safety: Each family is carefully assessed to ensure VVs are appropriate and safe. We review reasons for referral, past visitation patterns, and potential risks, especially in cases of family violence.
- Privacy & Security: Virtual visits are password-protected and require all participants to use headphones. Online invitations are sent separately to ensure confidentiality, and we conduct pre-visit tests to confirm technical readiness.
- Confidentiality: Backgrounds are reviewed to avoid privacy breaches, and virtual backgrounds are not permitted. Participants are prohibited from taking photos or screenshots without prior consent.
- Child-Centered Approach: We assess the suitability of VVs for children, including their ability to participate and remain confidential. Initial familiarization sessions help prepare children for the virtual format.
- Support & Flexibility: We consider feedback from survivors of abuse and respect parents’ decisions regarding the continuation of VVs. CC staff manage all aspects of the visit to maintain a safe environment.
Cherished Connections is committed to providing a secure and supportive platform for family interactions, ensuring the highest standards of care and confidentiality.
Get In Touch
Call
0431 999 610
info@cconnections.au
Address
PO Box 270, Castle Hill NSW 1765
Hours
Mon – Thu: 8am – 8pm
Fri: 8am – 5pm
Weekends: 8am – 6pm
Public Holidays: 8am – 6pm