National Assembly for Wales

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the unfairness of private companies profiting off separated families and vulnerable children through child contact centres in Wales due to the absence of government funding.

2. Notes that the Ministry of Justice moved funding from CAFCASS to the NACCC over the pandemic and has not restored it.

3. Regrets that parents are having to pay out of their own pockets to see their children at private supported or supervised contact centres in Wales, sometimes up to £120 an hour.

4. Recognises the work of charities, local authorities, volunteers, and religious groups in providing some of these centres for free.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) make all contact centres in Wales free at the point of need;

b) demand the Ministry of Justice reinstate funding for public and private law cases that require child contact centres;

c) pressure the UK Government to improve delays which are hindering the justice system;

d) work to remove profit from the child contact centres system;

e) stop the postcode lottery around child contact centres in Wales.