Knock child contact centre: Evolution and evaluation

Abstract

Interest in the development of Child Contact Centres is growing steadily. This article describes the evolution of one of the first centres in Northern Ireland, the Knock Child Contact Centre. Details of the ethos and origins of Child Contact Centres are provided as well as an account of the practicalities involved in establishing and running the Knock Centre. Some attention is given to the effects of parental separation on children, before the paper moves on to summarising an evaluation of the Centre. The article highlights the complexities of developing and operating such a service in the context of often very raw human emotions, but demonstrates the value that the Centre's users place upon it. Some areas for development are identified and the importance of developing similar Centres in other areas is emphasised.