VOLUNTEER AND TRAINING POLICY 

Bath Child Contact Centre (BCCC) offers a facility where children of separated families can enjoy contact in a neutral meeting place with one or both parents, and sometimes other family members, in a safe and comfortable environment.  
 
In order to offer this service, volunteers are needed to:  

• keep attendance records
• prepare and clear up the Centre on the day  
• ensure that the Centre is secure and safe 
• be on hand to assist the families using the Centre
• be present for the preparation and de-briefing sessions led by the Team Leader at the beginning and end of sessions.  

Recruitment

We will use appropriate means to advertise for volunteers locally that take into account the principles of our Equal Opportunities, Diversity and Recruitment & Rehabilitation of Offenders Policies. The applicant will have to complete an application form, but help can be given with this if necessary.  
 
The applicant will take part in a comprehensive induction process and if this is successful, the two references requested will be taken up.  

Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Checks 

A criminal records check with the DBS will be made for every volunteer before commencing work in the Centre.   Further checks will be made every three years. Please refer to DBS Policy for further information.

Induction and Training 

There will be an induction, prepared and delivered by two appropriately experienced persons within the Centre, and a Volunteer’s Training and Reference Manual given. 
 
This will include:  

• the role of the volunteer 
• a list of all staff members and volunteers 
• a list of management committee members and any sub-committees 
• A summary list of the Centre’s policies and procedures is included in the Volunteer’s Training and Reference Manual. Full copies of all policies are available on the BCCC website and can be provided in hard copy by the coordinator.  
• essential procedures, i.e. timekeeping, rota etc 
• induction training and details of ongoing training 
• information about NACCC and its values and National Standards.  
• There will be a probationary period of 3 months to give the Centre and the volunteer time to discover if they are suited to each other. A review will be made at the end of the trial period.  

Details of Training 

It is essential that child contact centres are safe and that means developing the awareness and knowledge of staff, coordinators and managers involved in running them. Training is mandatory for all coordinators, staff, and managers. NACCC’s Training Programme forms part of the accreditation of supported child contact centres. All coordinators and staff need to complete the training in the required subjects over a 3-year rolling period. Training will be evidenced and will form part of the accreditation process.  
This policy outlines the agreement between BCCC and NACCC as determined by the National Standards. BCCC will ensure that all staff, coordinators, and managers are trained to the specific standard and timetable as outline within this document.  
Details of available training over a year is available on the members’ area of the NACCC website. 
Coordinators must attend NACCC coordinator training once every three years. 
Staff must complete induction training followed by the NACCC 10 Training Modules over a three-year period. 
All staff must undertake Safeguarding training annually. 
A Training Record must be kept for each member of staff, clearly stating the date and title of any training. 
Coordinator training 
All coordinators (including deputies) running supported child contact centres must attend the NACCC coordinator training once every three years. It will equip them in their role to run their centre safely. Part of the coordinator training is designed to enable them to disseminate the training of the modules to their staff. 

Staff training  

This has been divided into 10 mandatory modules for all staff at supported child contact centres. The training will equip them in their valuable role working in a child contact centre. The courses have been developed following feedback from centres on the issues faced by staff working at supported child contact centres. 
The 10 NACCC training modules: 

Safeguarding training 
Induction training for new staff 
Family breakdown 
Health and safety risk assessment 
Encouraging positive contact 
Responding to reluctant families and conflict within a child contact centre 
Domestic abuse 
Understanding substance misuse - impact on families 
Family risk assessment 
Understanding and managing children's behaviour and areas of contact to observe and assess 

Methods of training staff: 

Staff training can be undertaken in a method that best suits the staff member - face to face, via a workbook or e-learning: 
Face to face training  

NACCC training modules have been designed in a way that will allow Co-ordinators to deliver the training to their staff. If you would like NACCC to deliver the training, there are additional charges. Additional information and advice about training can be obtained from Phil Coleman, NACCC’s Service Development Manager. 

Workbooks and E-learning 

These will be useful for staff that cannot attend face to face training.  

Expenses 

We value our volunteers and want to ensure that there are no barriers to volunteer involvement. All out-of-pocket expenses, if required, will be reimbursed, including for travel and training. In order to claim expenses, an expenses form must be completed and given to the coordinator.  

Support 

The coordinator, team leaders and other volunteers will offer support to the volunteers. There will be a briefing session at the beginning and a de-briefing at the end of each contact session. This is an opportunity to raise concerns around families or to discuss any problems or issues that may arise.  

The coordinator will receive support and regular supervision sessions from the Chair of the management committee.

Insurance

The coordinator, team leaders and o

BCCC has a valid insurance policy which volunteers are advised to read.  

Confidentiality  

The contact process requires an explicit confidentiality policy which all Centre workers, which includes the management committee, volunteers and staff are obliged to observe.  

Resolving problems  

The relationship between BCCC and its volunteer workers is entirely voluntary and does not imply any contract.  However, it is important that the Centre is able to maintain its agreed standards of service to the children, families and referrers who use it, and it is also important that volunteers should enjoy making their contribution to this service.  
 
If a volunteer does not meet with BCCC’s standards, the following steps will be taken: 

1. There will be an initial meeting with the coordinator who will explain the concerns.   
2. If this does not resolve the concern then a meeting with the Chair of the management committee will be convened.  
3. If his / her work still does not meet with our standards then we shall have to stop using his / her services.  

If a volunteer is dissatisfied with any aspect of the work, they should: 

1. Initially explain their dissatisfaction with the team leader.  
2. If that does not resolve the concern, then a meeting with the coordinator should be convened. 
3. If that does not resolve the issue then a formal meeting with the Chair of the management committee should follow.  
4. If after this the dissatisfaction remains unresolved and we are unable to resolve the grievance, then it would be inappropriate for him / her to continue to be a volunteer.  

At all times the volunteer will be freely able to state his / her case and can have a friend to accompany him / her.  

We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually
Name:  Siobhan Thompson and  Ruth Whitemore	Signature:	Date:  April 2025
This policy was last reviewed: April 2025