Public Law Supervised Contact
Where a local authority is involved in a child's care, contact often needs to take place under close, professional supervision. Our public law supervised contact services provide a safe, neutral setting for children to spend time with a parent or family member, with trained staff present throughout.
What is public law supervised contact?
Public law supervised contact is arranged when a child is subject to care proceedings, a court order, or ongoing local authority involvement. Unlike private arrangements, these supervised contact visits are closely monitored, and staff observe and record what happens during each session.
Every visit is supervised on a one-to-one basis. Our role is to keep the child safe, to support a meaningful relationship with the parent or family member, and to provide accurate, impartial records to the professionals responsible for the case.
When is it used?
We provide public law supervised contact in situations including:
- Children in the care of a local authority or subject to care proceedings
- Contact directed by the family court under a specific order
- Cases where there are safeguarding concerns requiring close observation
- Assessment of the quality and safety of a parent-child relationship
Why it helps families
These arrangements allow contact to continue safely at a point when it might otherwise be impossible. Children maintain an important relationship in a secure environment, and professionals receive the clear, objective information they need to make decisions. Our sole focus is contact services, and we hold NACCC enhanced accreditation — the recognised standard for this work.
We are realistic about the circumstances families face. Our purpose is not to reunite a household, but to make contact work safely for the family as it now is, and to support the child's relationship with their parent throughout.
How it works
Our supervised contact services follow a clear, structured process:
- Referral. A local authority, solicitor, or other professional refers the family to us, setting out the requirements of the court or care plan.
- Set-up. We agree the venue, times, and any specific conditions. With both parties engaged, we can have a service in place within seven days — we hold no waiting list.
- Supervised contact visits. Trained staff supervise each session throughout, keeping the child's welfare at the centre.
- Reporting. We produce factual, impartial written records of each visit for the referring professionals and, where required, the court.
Our accreditation and reach
We deliver supervised contact services across southern England, from centres in Romsey, Havant, Basingstoke, Christchurch, Winchester, Burpham, Bourne End, Chichester, Newbury and Salisbury. As a NACCC enhanced accredited provider working with a range of local authorities, we offer consistent, professional standards wherever your case is based.