Mission Statement

To support and provide children with a safe, beneficial, child-focused supervised contact with the non-custodial parent/s, and other family members from whom they are separated due to care proceedings or serious breakdown in parents' relationships.

The Service

The Service provides as hereunder referred to as supervisors, who are of pool of trained personnel specifically selected, trained and supervised by Appoġġ to supervise access between minors and their non custodial parent/s. Supervisors are present during the access visits in order to ensure that the children concerned are provided with a safe environment during the times of access, and that their needs and rights are being met. The service is provided in situations where parents are in the process of separation and the Family Court deems it necessary for the well-being of the children that one or both parents see their children in the presence of a supervisor. Moreover the service is also provided to children who are under a Care Order, when it is in the child's best interest that they visit their parent/s in the presence of a supervisor. Finally the service may also be provided to children when their parents agree voluntarily that it is in the child/children's best interest to make use of this service.

Aims and Objectives

- To provide a safe environment where the child can maintain or re-establish the relationship with the non-custodial parent, when access is not possible otherwise.

- To provide the setting and the opportunity for the non-custodial parent to have access with his/her child.

- To ensure that victims of domestic violence, child abuse or child abduction are not exposed to further harassment or violence (emotional or physical) whilst using the service.

- To document the interaction between each parent and the child for use by the court or other evaluators, so as to assist in the development of an appropriate care plan for the child/children concerned.

- To provide feedback to the supervised parent to better his or her relationship with the child.

- To provide a setting where the child can freely express genuine feeling towards the parent, whether these are feelings of affection, fear or anger.