Having worked in child welfare for close to two decades, I've seen my fair share of parent-child visitation take place in cold state or county offices, or a crowded play structure inside a fast food restaurant. The article referenced below aptly describes the limitations to both settings, environments unable to set parents or children up for successful, engaging, interactive visitation.
Parent-child visitation is very important in child welfare, this is where relationships, connections, and healing from trauma are tended, developed, and sometimes reborn. Yet, child-welfare systems still place inconsistent value and resources toward making visitation successful. This is the time for children to be with parents they are no longer allowed to live with... and for parents, children they are no longer allowed to parent. At least not on their own and not without an overarching sense or fear and scrutiny. Immense value should be placed on the time parents and children spend together during supervised or monitored visitation.
Parent-child visitation is one small, yet mighty, piece of the child welfare pie. The way most child welfare agencies offer visitation isn't working. Whether that be a result of a shortage of qualified paraprofessionals paid to supervise visitation, or little importance placed upon the benefits of parents and children visiting in family-home settings; parents receiving coaching and support around parenting and managing difficult behaviors; and children receiving multiple opportunities per week to see their parents and remain connected to their immediate and extended families (the younger the child, the more frequent visitation should be).
I am often thrilled when I see child welfare professionals in state/county agencies, professional visit supervisors, parenting education, courts, and attorney's all coming together to change the systems within which they practice, by supporting, or even demanding, family-centered visitation for families who are involved with child welfare systems. When the professionals serving communities place value on family-centered visitation in child welfare, agencies like the one described in this article are born. It's a clear demonstration of a community’s commitment and shared values around supporting their own.
I know of several family-centered visitation programs in my community similar to Building Bridges in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Do you have similar programs in your community? Comment below!
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