A Woking charity that provides a safe space for the children of separated parents to meet the parent who no longer lives at home was delighted to welcome Will Forster MP last Saturday (13 September).

Woking Family Contact Centre (WFCC) meets at Woking United Reformed Church on White Rose Lane on Saturday afternoons (usually the first and third Saturdays of the month) and welcomes families where communication between the parents has become difficult or has broken down completely.

The centre is accredited with the National Association of Child Contact Centres and has built up an enthusiastic team of volunteers who help families feel reassured and comfortable about attending.

The meetings can be emotional, as in some cases it may be years since the non-resident parent last saw their child. The volunteers explained to Will how sessions are run, and that the aim is to help the parents move forward by finding long-term solutions that put the interests, needs and safety of their child first.

Will talked about current work in Parliament relevant to the work of WFCC, including reforms to family law to make divorce and separation less painful. These will include more streamlined child custody proceedings, making it easier for parents to share parenting effectively, and improved transparency of family courts.

He also discussed the new Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that will make important changes to protect children, making sure no child falls through gaps between different services. Will has been pushing for stronger safeguards for children.

Families wishing to use the centre can find information on the Referrals page at www.wokingfamilycontactcentre.org.uk.

The centre is always looking for volunteers and is also recruiting for a coordinator. Regular volunteers typically attend for about three hours on a Saturday afternoon once every six to eight weeks.

Those interested should visit the website’s Volunteering and Support page.