Award Winning – enhanced NACCC accredited contact centre. Dedicated to child contact, by providing safe spaces where children can meet the parents they don’t live with.
We are a multi-award winning community based, not for profit, child-focused charity that works with families who are directly impacted by separation or divorce.
Our accrediting body, the NACCC (National Association of Child Contact Centre’s), has since 1991, been the umbrella organisation which sets the National Standards to which we must adhere. Tidal Family Support is currently the only enhanced NACCC accredited Family Contact Centre on the Isle of Wight.
Our main aim is supporting families to re-establish safe contact arrangements between children and their nonresident parent, grandparent, sibling, or other extended family members.
Tidal offers a supportive referral process to help families access child contact services smoothly
Tidal’s Child Contact Services support children and separated families to safely spend time together
Tidal helps families maintain positive relationships through safe, supported contact within the community
Helping you find trusted local services for housing, wellbeing, parenting support, legal advice and more
Professional, qualified counselling sessions offered on site by licensed practitioners for parents.
Find clear and transparent pricing for all our services, including contact sessions, referrals and pricing for professionals.
A Safe Harbour for families
Child contact refers to the time a child spends with the parent or family member they don’t live with, following separation or divorce. It’s all about helping children maintain strong, healthy relationships with both sides of their family, even when circumstances change.
When arranging child contact is difficult due to conflict, distance, or concerns around safety or communication, families may choose to use a Child Contact Centre to support this process.
There are two types of contact:
Supported Contact – A safe, neutral space where contact can take place with light-touch support from a contact worker. This is often suitable when there’s no significant risk to the child, but communication between adults may still be challenging.
Supervised Contact – A higher level of support where a trained supervisor is present throughout the session. This is used when there are safeguarding concerns, or when contact needs to be closely monitored to ensure the child’s well-being.
Child contact can be arranged voluntarily (self-referral) or through professionals such as solicitors, mediators, the courts, Cafcass, or local authorities. It may also be one part of a broader plan to help families move forward, including support like Planning Together for Children or mediation.
A child contact centre is a safe, welcoming, and neutral space where children from separated families can spend time with one or both parents — and sometimes other relatives — when meeting elsewhere isn’t possible or appropriate.
These centres are designed with children in mind, offering a calm and friendly environment filled with age-appropriate toys, games, and activities that support positive experiences during family time. The focus is always on the child’s well-being, helping them build and maintain meaningful relationships with the people who matter most to them.
Child contact centres are used by a wide range of families who are navigating separation, divorce, or other changes in family life. These centres support children in having safe, meaningful time with a parent or family member they don’t live with, especially when direct contact may be difficult or emotionally charged.
Families may come to a contact centre for many different reasons — including high levels of conflict, communication difficulties, safety concerns, or needing support while rebuilding trust and routines. Contact may be supervised or supported depending on the needs of the family.
At Tidal Family Support, we welcome families from all backgrounds and circumstances. We understand that each situation is unique, and our role is to provide a calm, neutral space where children can maintain important relationships and feel secure and supported.
For children, maintaining a safe and consistent relationship with both parents after separation can make a real difference to their emotional and mental wellbeing.
Research shows that when children lose contact with a parent, it can have a lasting impact on their wellbeing. Exposure to conflict or complete loss of contact can affect emotional health, behaviour, and even how well they do at school. These effects can begin in early childhood and continue into adolescence and adulthood.
At Tidal, we believe that safe, child-focused contact is key to helping families move forward. Our services are here to support children and the adults who care for them — giving them the best chance to thrive, even in the face of change.
Tidal Family Support is the only NACCC enhanced accredited Centre on the Isle of Wight. A not-for-profit charity, that helps families through separation, conflict, and change. We provide safe spaces, guidance, and support to help children maintain healthy relationships with the people who care for them.
Our services are open to anyone caring for a child — parents, grandparents, carers, or extended family members — who needs support navigating family change or separation.
Supervised Contact – A higher level of support where a trained supervisor is present throughout the session. This is used when there are safeguarding concerns, or when contact needs to be closely monitored to ensure the child’s well-being.
Supported Contact – A safe, neutral space where contact can take place with light-touch support from a contact worker. This is often suitable when there’s no significant risk to the child, but communication between adults may still be challenging.
For non-court ordered contact, the type of contact is agreed by the resident parent. If it is court ordered, then it will state in the court order what type of contact is directed.
In the first instance you can call on 01983 639793 or email us and we will send you a referral form, you will need to return it to us via emailing : info@tidalfamilysupport.org.uk
No, families can choose to use our services voluntarily. However, we also support families who are part of court proceedings.
This varies significantly on a case-by-case basis. This is discussed with the parties and services involved with the family.
Yes, there is a cost to use our services. The costs will be outlined upon requesting a referral form. Also see the price list section for our current prices here.
Yes, we will send you a copy of the notes taken by the contact supervisor, usually within 72 working hours of the contact taking place, at busy times this may take longer. If you have been referred to us from a Local authority we will need their permission to share these notes with you.
We offer this service here at Tidal, please speak to a member of our team to find out more information.
Yes, information will be treated as confidential to maintain the neutrality of the Centre. Tidal can provide you with a report as to how contact is going which you may wish us to share with third parties. The Centre reserves the right to report concerns to the relevant agencies if there are any safeguarding concerns.
The National Association of Child Contact Centres is a registered charity, and an umbrella organisation which we affiliate to, it sets the National Standards to which Child Contact/Family Centres must work within. NACCC has an accreditation process which ensures members meet national standards. Tidal is the only Enhanced Accredited Child Contact Centre on the Isle of Wight.
It is perfectly ok to feel unsure, speaking with the centre staff by phone can often be reassuring families. NACCC also have a website which has a wide range of information which again can help put your mind at ease.
Our trained staff follow strict safeguarding procedures and always put the child’s best interests at the centre of everything we do.
When you have been referred to us via a court order or Local Authorities, it is normal for us to communicate on a regular basis with them about your contact sessions, this is to ensure that we can assist you in using our services and to ensure any potential risks are managed effectively.
