Quality Time: Developing A Faith-Based Supervised Visitation Program

BAANK is on a committee which is in the beginning processes of developing a supervised visitation program, which we call Quality Time. Members of the Faith-Based Supervised Visitation Program (FBSVP) overseeing committee include people from Safe Children Coalition, Family Safety Alliance, BAANK (Believers Against Abuse and Neglect of Kids), Guardian ad Litem Program, Bridge a Life (A ministry of Bayside Community Church), and Judicial Overview. Guardian ad Litem is heading up the administration, and BAANK will be recruiting volunteers.

Supervised visitation is important for a number of reasons. Because it strengthens the bond between parent and child, it helps the parent(s) be motivated to complete court-mandated requirements, leads to more reunifications, and ensures a stronger parent-child relationship upon reunification. Supervised visitation is a crucial part of the process because reunification is a major goal of the Department of Children and Families, as well as of the families themselves.


From The Bradenton Herald:

"Overwhelming trauma children feel after separation from parents requires a lot more time during the first five-to-seven months of the case," said Milessa Dunlop, assistant director of the 12th Circuit's Guardian ad Litem program, adding that most cases last about a year. "This program creates more quality time for the family to bond, build, continue and promote strength in reunification. Once these kids go home and the court closes the case, they're stronger and healthier."

Judge Scott Brownell, who first voiced the concern about the urgent need for more supervised visitation between parents and children in foster care in the 12th Circuit, said,"When the children were living with the parents, there was contact every day, every morning, every night. How do we get as much of that back as possible while being affordable and safe?" His solution was to involve the faith community. According to Judge Brownell, the faith community shares the same passion for building and rebuilding strong families that people working in child welfare do, and would also be a good source of volunteers. And Milessa Dunlop of Guardian ad Litem saw another reason the faith community would be helpful: parents will meet other parents who could be positive role models on parenting.

So what makes it faith-based? Quality Time will be volunteer-driven, and these volunteers will be recruited by BAANK through faith-based organizations. We want to allow visitation to happen in more natural family and social settings rather than inside an institution. For example, parent and child can be together in a large gathering or public place, like a school event where the child is familiar with all the adults present. This tells the child that all the adults in his life are friends, not enemies, and offers more emotional security for him or her.

We are prayerful that this will be an effort that is effective at re-uniting children with their parents and getting parents on the right track. If you have any questions, you can contact Rod Myers or Milessa Dunlop of Guardian ad Litem. If you are interested in volunteering, call (941) 861-4875.