Chairperson’s report For the year ended 31st August 2022
The Management Committee of Armagh Child Contact Centre presents their report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31st August 2022.
As with all Child Contact Centres who provide supported contact, the principal activities are to provide contact for a child or children of separated parents, in a safe, comfortable and child-friendly environment.
It is important that through the work of the Contact Centre, children are afforded the opportunity to develop and maintain a capacity to think and make sense of their situation or world while managing their feelings and behaviours. The major strength of Armagh Child Contact Centre is its sense of cohesion and shared vision working in unison in the furtherance of providing and ever better service to children and parents.
Objectives for the forthcoming year include:-
-
1 Maintaining a quality service for children and families
-
2 To improve service provision by providing effective training and support to staff and volunteers
-
3 Promote a quality of contact, providing a basis for the service which has a good strong cross-community, culturally diverse ethos
-
4 To work collaboratively with all stakeholders, including the Southern Health and Social Care Trust as outlined in the Service Level Agreement
-
5 To ensure good governance, regularity and propriety in the stewardship of public monies
-
6 To continue to develop mechanisms of stakeholders’ feedback in order to develop where possible service provision
-
7 To maintain links with the other Child Contact Centres through the Northern Ireland Network of Child Contact Centres and work in partnership with Court services, Solicitors, Social Services, Parent Advice Centres, and other relevant agencies
-
8 As a member of the Northern Ireland Network of Child Contact Centres we adhere to their operational procedures and policies.
All future developments are monitored and approved by the Management Committee. The principal objective remains that of offering free contact in a safe, friendly and neutral environment for children of separated parents. As chairperson of the Armagh Child Contact Centre I continue to be pleased to report that the Southern Health and Social Care Trust is still our main funder with our Service Level Agreement being rolled forward for hopefully two more years. Their letter reminds us of the need for prompt reporting of incidents and the importance of business continuity plans.
The effect of the Coronavirus: Translate back to early 2021, then, the world as we knew it has now became a different place, thanks to the Vaccine program rolled out across our world. Our Health advisors continue to observe and advise on the current situation of the virus.
I am grateful for the grants and donations from our volunteers, parents and others as outlined in our financial report. Not mentioned in our financial report is the sponsorship for our
celebratory event by HouseProud, my sincere thanks to everyone there. The level of need still acts to highlight the valuable and necessary work undertaken by Contact Centres, and it remains important to promote a service which reflects a cross-community ethos. We are not immune to changing demographics in the population as we have had experienced an increase in the numbers of parents attending from diverse ethnic backgrounds whose country of origin is not within the United Kingdom and whose first language is not English.
On behalf of the Management Committee, staff and volunteers I wish to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to the Clerk of Session of the 1st Presbyterian Church, The Mall, Armagh, for the continuing use of the Lecture Hall as Armagh Child Contact Centre and for the ongoing refurbishments which has greatly added to the comfort of users. It would be remiss of me not to mention the practical help and support given by Mr. David Harrison which is much valued and appreciated.
Thanks to Mr. Gary Henderson of WHR Accountants Ltd, 56 English Street, Armagh for the preparation and presentation of our financial report and accompanying documents for this our AGM.
This time 6 years ago we welcomed Pauline Muldoon as the new Coordinator for Armagh CCC and I wish to say a sincere thank you for your commitment, dedication, caring and confident way in which you carry out your work. A sincere thank-you to, Emma Smyth, our Administration Assistant, Joyce Kirkland Honorary Secretary, Mandy McCann Honorary Treasurer, Volunteers, Directors and Members of the Management Committee for your continued loyalty and practical support to Armagh Child Contact Centre.
Reviewing the past year we have mourned the loss of loved ones, friends and colleagues. Some members of the management committee and volunteers are now not able to attend meetings or volunteer as they would have liked to have done because of health reasons
Ladies and Gentleman that concludes my report