Prepare For Family Time Sessions

It is important that you arrive at the agreed time. If you are running late, the allocated worker will contact you. Although we do our best to answer calls when we can, please be aware that our office is not staffed 24/7, so we ask that you avoid texting or calling repeatedly because we will contact you! 

The allocated worker will also ensure that parents do not meet, and will coordinate arrivals and departures as required.

If a child is unwell, they can usually still attend family time sessions, as both parents are expected to be able to care for them. Minor illnesses rarely justify missing a session, though factors such as the type of illness, the child’s age, and the session location may influence the decision. Parents should  decide though - it's not up to us to decide if it should go ahead or not. If a session is cancelled due to illness, both parents will be informed. Sessions cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice are non‑refundable and non‑transferable. Persistent cancellations may result in a holding deposit or the service ending.

To cancel a session, please contact the office email with as much notice as possible.

The resident parent is responsible for presenting the child(ren) to sessions and should not expect our team to coax children into starting sessions. Whilst we will offer appropriate encouragement and reassurance it is for the parent to ensure this is adult led, rather than expecting the team to do this for you. If you are finding this difficult or need help or advice, please contact the office to arrange a time to discuss. 

Visiting parents may give their child one small gift during sessions, which must be checked by the family support worker to ensure it is appropriate to take home. We encourage parents not to bring gifts every time, as children can quickly come to expect them. Gifts, cards, or letters cannot be exchanged between parents through our team unless agreed in advance. On special occasions such as birthdays or Christmas, larger quantities of gifts may be allowed, but this must be agreed with the office at least three days before the session. Gifts from other family members are generally not permitted during sessions.

Unless a court order specifies otherwise, or there are specific circumstances that make taking photos or videos inappropriate, any parent spending time with their child(ren) may take photos/videos, provided the child is comfortable and does not object. If there are specific reasons why a resident parent might not want the other parent taking photos or videos, this should be discussed with the service manager. It is advised that visiting parents do not share photos/videos of their child(ren) taken during family time sessions on social media platforms.

We are happy to welcome other important family members to join family time sessions, when agreed by both parents and communicated to the Service Manager with a minimum of three days notice. This includes in person and virtually, by phone or video call. Nobody but the visiting parent will be allowed to join sessions unless this has been agreed in advance. 

This is addressed during service planning discussions at the start of your time with us, or during reviews we conduct together. Sessions might be held in a family room which is a comfortable room, with sofas, a television, books and toys. The use of rooms or community hubs, and the equipment provided depends on availability. This will be communicated as part of the usual confirmation process.

This is addressed during service planning but generally families do not travel in private vehicles. Some families use a taxi/bus/train for specific activities, but this is individual to each family, and always by prior arrangement before sessions. If you would like to discuss using public transport to a specific activity, please contact the Service Manager to discuss this at least three days prior to your family time session. 

Invoices are sent in advance to the parent responsible for payment, and each session must be paid for at least three days prior. We do not send reminders or follow up on unpaid invoices. If payment is not received on time, the session will be cancelled, and both parents will be notified via email. To avoid cancellations, please ensure timely payment. Parents have the option to pay for the entire month at once or on a session-by-session basis, as long as payments are made at least three days in advance.

Please avoid waiting until the last minute to check or ask! Any changes or alternative arrangements should be emailed to the office no less than three days before each session to allow for appropriate adjustments. A good reminder is the confirmation email, which will hopefully prompt parents to ask about any changes. For example, if you want to go somewhere specific, include other people, or need support to discuss something specific with your child(ren).

Sessions with our service are booked routinely until a new arrangement is made or a new court order changes the arrangements. If either parent has planned holidays or dates they are unavailable, this should be notified to the office as soon as possible. Generally, if planned sessions are cancelled due to holidays, they are not 'made up' unless agreed upon. 

It is the responsibility of both parents to inform the office if sessions are no longer needed or if there are changes required. The court, Cafcass, and solicitors typically do not notify us of such changes. Regardless of who pays for the services, both parents must ensure that the office is informed.

We provide parents with the opportunity to participate in regular reviews on a quarterly basis, or more frequently if needed. If you would like to request a review, share feedback, ask a question, share concerns or make a complaint please refer to the relevant section on our website or contact the office by email office@southwestfamilyservices.com.

Our team operates across the Southwest, and in some areas there are allocated workers, meaning some families have the same person for most sessions. However, we actively try to rotate workers frequently. It's important to remember that the child is coming to spend time with their parent, not a specific worker. Changing workers helps maintain this focus and ensures appropriate boundaries.

The team is made up of a rich and diverse group of people who bring lots to the families we support. We have social workers, family practitioners and contact supervisors depending on the type of service we are working with you under. We require our team to hold qualifications exceeding the minimum required standards and everyone has undertaken learning at a minimum of level 5 in Health and Social Care as well as a rolling programme of continuous professional development opportunities. As expected the team all hold qualifications in advanced safeguarding and Paediatric First Aid. All are required to undertake advanced DBS checks upon offer of employment and these are reviewed annually.  

Every member of the team carries a valid SWFS photo identification card. The team do not display these about their person to align with our belief that supervision of family time sessions should be discreet and feel comfortable for all involved, however they will be more than happy to present their ID card to you upon request. We do not allow photography of ID cards. 

Most people have a basic understanding of safeguarding and the responsibilities it entails. As parents, you have a duty to ensure the safety and well-being of your children, and as a service we take our safeguarding responsibilities very seriously. In this context, safeguarding concerns often relate to the emotional impact on children who may feel conflicted or torn between parents, rather than the more typical types of harm you might initially think about. If we believe a child is experiencing harm or is at risk of harm, we will share this information with the local authority. It is their responsibility to determine whether support or intervention is necessary. While we may raise concerns, it is ultimately the local authority's duty to investigate and reach conclusions.