#lostparents campaign aims to keep families together

Family breakdown is costly, not just for social cohesion but also for the economy. The accumulated bill in disruption to business and essential services is estimated at £49 billion a year.

Not all adult relationships can succeed but real damage occurs if children lose contact with a parent. More than a million children in the UK are in this situation.

Child contact centres, which are accredited by NACCC, have provided a lifeline for parent-child relationships. Staffed by an army of (mostly) volunteers, they provide safe spaces to meet when there is no other option.

Despite the amazing work they are doing, there is a chronic lack of awareness of child contact centres among parents and those professionals that refer families to them – particularly solicitors and social workers. This problem has been made worse by changes to legal aid which mean fewer referrals through the courts.

That’s why Third City has been helping NACCC to spread the word about its work, with the creation of a new film which was screened at a stakeholder event at the House of Lords in October.

The content has been shared by influencers throughout the legal and social care community and is being used as an awareness raising tool by centres themselves. You can watch and share the film and find out more about the campaign at http://www.naccc.org.uk/lostparents