This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Improving Child and Family Arrangements (ICFA) case study
Reason for Referral:
We received a referral to support E, a 7-year-old who had not seen his father for over two years. Contact had been limited to emails, and parental conflict was entrenched, with no direct communication. ICFA was asked to safely reintroduce contact and help parents improve communication and co-parenting.
Intervention:
The Family Practitioner worked intensively with both parents on respectful communication, managing emotions, and child-focused handovers. Observing interactions, they provided feedback and strategies to reduce conflict. Over time, parents communicated more calmly and prioritised E’s needs.
Direct work with E began at home, explaining the intervention and encouraging him to share feelings. Gradual indirect contact, including video messages, helped E process the change. Initially nervous, he agreed to attend family time sessions.
Measurable Outcomes:
Contact was reintroduced in community venues chosen by E. He engaged warmly with his father, who responded sensitively. Two further sessions reinforced their relationship, with no safeguarding concerns.
The focus then shifted to sustainability. Parents agreed to exchange phone numbers and created an interim plan for weekly contact of about seven hours. This continued consistently until the next court hearing.
Following ICFA involvement, the court approved increased contact, including overnight stays, reflecting progress in rebuilding trust and child-focused parenting.