Transitions Rules and Policies

The visits will be supervised once a week for eight (8) weeks at the same time and location each week. Supervised visitation will be for 60 minutes per visit. The parents and Transitions staff will determine the time and location of the visits.

Custodial and non-custodial parents will not come in contact during arrivals and departures of visits. The non-custodial parent will arrive at the visit 15 minutes before the start of the scheduled visit and will stay 15 minutes after the end of the scheduled visit. There will be a 10-minute grace period at the time the visit is to start. If after 10 minutes, one or the other parent has not arrived, the visit will not take place. The custodial parent must be available by phone/pager to pick up their child if an emergency arises or a visits must be cut short for other reasons.

The visiting parent may bring to the visit: snacks or dinner, along with a favorite game, toy or gift if they would like.

The Transitions Volunteer will immediately terminate the visits, if for any of the following reasons happen:

  • negative comments made about parents, in-laws, relatives, partners, step-parents, grandparents, siblings or anyone, by any of the parties involved, including the child
  • whispering or note passing during the visits
  • drug or alcohol use
  • threats of kidnapping or parental abduction
  • harassment, arguing or verbal abuse
  • physical violence
  • threats against the court, court orders, attorneys, or Transitions Program staff or volunteers
  • weapons
  • no picture taking or audio-visuals are allowed
  • no other family members or friends are allowed in the visit
  • no cell phones, pagers or pets will be allowed at the visit

Parents/relatives are expected to vacate the premises immediately upon request to do so.

Transitions Program staff or volunteers will not act as a go between, between the parents and child.

No Transitions volunteers or staff will accept or dispense any medication for the child during the 60-minute visit. It will be the responsibility of the custodial parent to give their child medication before the visit begins.

Parents are to call 24 hours in advance to cancel a visit. Only in emergencies should a parent cancel the visit. It will be up to the Transitions Staff to decide if the visit should be rescheduled. Additional costs may be required if visits are cancelled without advance notice.

In the event that parents see one another, they will act civil to each other in front of their child.

Visits will be held for the scheduled time only. If they start early or begin late, the visit will only be for 60 minutes. Upon arrival and leaving each parent must sign in and sign out with the volunteer.

After the last scheduled visitation, it will be the responsibility of both parents and/or their attorneys to come to a mutual agreement about where and when visits between the parent and child take place.

There will be an off duty officer on site at every visit (on a case by case bases). The custodial parent is expected to be off the premises while the visit takes place. The custodial parent may not wait in the lobby or parking lot of the visitation site.

A photograph will be taken of the child and each parent. Photographs will be kept on file for identification.

Before the first visit, a photocopy of each parent's driver's license or other state issued photo will be taken to be kept on file for identification purposes. Each parent will provide a valid driver's license or other state issued photo and present this identification at each visit. Each parent will also provide at each visit a license's plate number and the make and model of the car driven to the visit for identification purposes.

During the provisions of the visits, Transitions staff may require to exam all packages, bags, or containers brought in by the parents and staff may request that parents check in personal property deemed necessary by staff.

Transitions staff are required to write comments or provide detailed observations for each visit, for the court, if necessary.