NACCC

We were delighted to welcome Circle Yuen back to the NACCC head office this week.

Our relationship with Circle began in 2024 when she approached us with an idea that would go on to become Our Dance: Living Apart, Time Together, a groundbreaking children's picture book designed to help young readers understand family separation and the role of child contact centres.

Working alongside NACCC staff, members and accredited centres, Circle drew on the knowledge and experiences of professionals supporting families every day. The result was the first UK picture book to introduce child contact centres to children, published by Graffeg in 2025.

Since then, Circle has continued to create stories that help children navigate change, relationships and family life. Her latest book, Mama's Wedding, published by Lantana Publishing, celebrates blended families, new beginnings and the many forms that love can take.

During her visit, Circle shared copies of both books and gave us a fascinating insight into her creative journey. From completing an MA in Children's Book Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art to becoming both author and illustrator of her own books, her passion for storytelling was clear to see. We also heard about the recognition her work has received, including being shortlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize, longlisted for the Bologna Children's Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition, and internationally recognised through the prestigious White Ravens Catalogue.

What impressed us most was Circle's commitment to helping children understand complex emotions and life changes through stories that are warm, reassuring and accessible. By combining thoughtful writing with her own beautiful illustrations, she creates books that truly connect with young readers.

Together, Our Dance and Mama's Wedding offer valuable opportunities for parents, carers, teachers and family support professionals to start conversations about separation, family change, resilience, belonging and relationships.

We are incredibly proud to have supported Circle's journey and look forward to seeing what she creates next.

If you are looking for a great resource to support children, both can be accessed from the link below.

https://naccc.org.uk/a-creative-partnership-supporting-children-through-family-change/

A Creative Partnership Supporting Children Through Family Change - NACCC NACCC is proud to celebrate its ongoing relationship with Nottingham-based author and illustrator Circle Yuen, whose work is helping children and families

From a local child contact centre to the halls of Parliament!

Following her visit to Westwood House Child Contact Centre, Sarah Russell MP wanted to learn more about the challenges facing child contact centres across the country and worked closely with NACCC to better understand the national picture.

It's a reminder that you never quite know where a conversation might lead. What started as a visit to a local contact centre resulted in discussions at Westminster and ultimately led to Sarah Russell MP raising the issues affecting child contact services with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, Josh MacAlister MP.

We are grateful for Sarah's ongoing support and her commitment to ensuring that the voices of children, families, volunteers and child contact centres are heard at the highest levels of government.

NACCC Takes the Voice of Child Contact Centres to Parliament - NACCC NACCC invited to discuss the challenges facing child contact centres with MPs and government representatives NACCC's ongoing efforts to raise awareness of

📢 NACCC is delighted to announce that The Rt Hon Sir Stephen Cobb has accepted our invitation to become our new Patron.

As President of the Family Division, Sir Stephen Cobb brings exceptional experience across family law, judicial leadership and child-focused practice, together with a longstanding commitment to improving outcomes for children and families.

Sir Stephen Cobb succeeds Sir Andrew McFarlane, whose valued support and leadership as NACCC Patron over the past eight years is remembered with great gratitude.

NACCC CEO, Elizabeth Coe, said:

💬 "Having worked alongside Sir Stephen Cobb through the Family Solutions Group, I have seen first-hand his commitment to improving outcomes for children and families experiencing separation. His strong advocacy for child-focused practice, early intervention and less adversarial approaches to family resolution aligns closely with NACCC's mission and values."

We warmly welcome Sir Stephen Cobb to the role and look forward to working with him as we continue to support our accredited centres and champion safe, child-focused family time.
👉 Read the full announcement here: https://naccc.org.uk/28442-2/

📣 As we come to the end of the working week, National Child Contact Centre Week continues into our final weekend theme: Weekend Reflections.

💙 Putting Children First

Over the past five days, centres and services across the UK have shared powerful stories, insights and resources highlighting the importance of keeping children's voices, experiences and wellbeing at the heart of support following family separation.

We've also enjoyed shining a spotlight on our centres, sharing a selection of their posts throughout the week.

A huge thank you to all of our NACCC-accredited centres and services who have taken part in this year's campaign and helped raise awareness of the vital support available to children and families.

Throughout the weekend, our member centres will be sharing reflections on the week, celebrating children, families, staff and volunteers, and sharing heartfelt thanks along with their hopes for the future.

Thank you for following and supporting this year's campaign.

📖 NACCC Week 2026 – Day 5: Every Child Is Different
Our final blog post for NACCC Week 2026 is now live. Every child experiences family separation, contact arrangements, and family time differently, which is why a child-centred approach is so important. At springcare, we recognise that every child has unique needs, experiences, and ways of communicating, and we are committed to creating safe, supportive environments where every child can thrive.
Read the full blog here:

🌐 https://springcaresupport.co.uk/naccc-week-2026-day-5-every-child-is-different/

💜 Supporting meaningful family connections.

At Fresh Futures, we tailor Family Time to meet the needs of:

Babies and young children | Children with additional needs | Teenagers navigating complex emotions

We provide:

✔ Sensory spaces for regulation

✔ Flexible approaches for different developmental stages

✔ Support that adapts to each child’s needs

Our aim is simple:

To help every child feel safe, understood and supported.💛

Because no two children experience Family Time the same way.

Find out more: https://freshfutures.org.uk/family-time/

A wide variety of resources support the principle that every child is unique, with tailored toolkits available for parenting, mental health, special educational needs (SEND), and inclusivity. These resources help families and educators support individual growth, communication, and emotional well-being.

Parenting and Emotional Well-being

✔️ Interaction & Early Years: Build early communication skills using the NSPCC Look, Say, Sing, Play Guide.

✔️ Mental Health Support: Access expert advice on behaviour, feelings, and wellbeing via the Young Minds A-Z Guide, or watch the BBC Tiny Happy People Manual for confidence-building strategies.

Special Educational Needs & Inclusivity

▪️ SEND Systems: Read the Children's Commissioner Beyond the Labels Report for a deeper look at creating an inclusive and seamless support system.

▪️ Family Diversity: Use resources like the NEU Every Child, Every Family Guide to promote LGBT+ inclusion and ensure all family structures are positively represented.

Learning & Community

▫️ Interactive Ebooks: Discover the Twinkl We Are All Different eBook to help teach diversity and acceptance at home or in the classroom.

▫️ Community Links: If you are based in certain areas of the UK, you can see if your school offers All Child individual support plans via the All Child Family Support Programme.

At Buzz, putting children first means creating opportunities for every child to share their thoughts, feelings and experiences in a way that works for them.
That's why we offer Wishes and Feelings Work to all children, helping them express what's on their mind and ensuring their voice is heard.

We use a range of tools tailored to each child's age and stage of development, including worry jars, worry clouds and worry trees. These activities help us understand how a child is feeling and, where appropriate, help us share this with the parent or family member they will be seeing.

We also ensure children with additional needs can communicate in ways that feel comfortable and accessible to them. Our amazing team member, Nicola, has extensive knowledge and experience of supporting children with additional needs and is always finding new ideas, resources and approaches to help every child feel included and understood.

We also offer Life Story Work, delivered by our fantastic Social Worker Linda, to help children understand and process their experiences in a safe and supportive environment. Life Story Work is a flexible approach that is tailored to each child and can be particularly helpful when:

👉 There has been a long gap since a child last saw a parent.
👉 A child feels their voice isn't being heard in co-parenting decisions.
👉 A child feels anxious about spending time with a parent they don't live with.

https://lnkd.in/e34pZSPc

At Buzz, we know that every child is different. By listening, adapting and responding to their individual needs, we help children feel safe, supported and heard.

NACCC

💙 Every child is different. So every child deserves support that reflects who they are.

Even children from the same family can have very different experiences, personalities, interests, and ways of understanding the world. What helps one child feel comfortable and safe may not work for another.

At Jigsaw, we understand relationships can be built through exploring interests and engaging in activities. By understanding what matters to each child, we can help create meaningful opportunities for families to spend quality time together and build positive memories 🎵🎨⚽📚

Children also experience the world in different ways. Some may have additional physical, sensory, communication, or learning needs that require adjustments to help them feel comfortable and fully included. Age also plays a part in a child's needs, as a baby's needs will look very different from a teenager's. That's why our team takes time to understand each child's needs, to help create the best environment for a family's contact.

Putting children first means recognising that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Every child deserves to be seen, heard, understood, and supported in a way that works for them 💙

👉 Click here to learn more https://stmichaelsfellowship.org.uk/services/jigsaw/

Preparing Your Child for Their First Contact Centre Visit

A first visit to a child contact centre can feel unfamiliar for both parents and children.

You can help by:
💬 Speaking positively about the visit
🧸 Allowing your child to bring a favourite toy or comfort item
❓ Answering questions honestly in an age-appropriate way
😊 Remaining calm and reassuring
🚫 Avoiding adult disputes or criticism of the other parent

Children often take their emotional cues from the adults around them. A calm and supportive approach can help make the experience feel less daunting.

child is different NACCC Chances Gives Choices