The Visitation Center at Family Place

The Visitation Center opened its doors in late summer 1999 to provide children from families dealing with divorce, domestic violence, or custody issues with a safe and comfortable place to meet non-residential parents for visits. In 2007, services were expanded to serve children in foster or kinship care.

As one parent said, "If it weren't for The Visitation Center, I would not be able to see my child."

Visits occur in a family-friendly, safe setting.

Until the Visitation Center at Family Place opened, some visits took place in community settings, such as fast food restaurants. "It used to be that I'd sit with a friend in the other end of Burger King while he sat and visited with her for a couple hours," explained one parent. Now these children are able to visit parents in a family-friendly environment with support from staff and security. Children and parents can feel safe and have an opportunity for a positive interaction.

The Visitation Center is committed to excellence and strives to be a model program by staying up-to-date on research and best practice in the field. One parent who had utilized a program elsewhere commented on the benefits of this Center: "It's well supervised, has good security, and they stick to the rules. My child feels more comfortable with staff members there when she visits her other parent. And the playrooms are well-equipped for children like her who are a little older."

This program is partially supported by Louisville Metro Government with funds from Grant No. 2007-CW-AX-0022, awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view in the document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Additional funds are provided by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

The Center is open Monday and Wednesday 5pm to 8pm, Tuesday and Thursday 9am to 8pm, and Saturday from 9am to 3pm. It is located at 1800 Neville Dr. in Louisville.

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers are welcome as visitation monitors, toy organizers and clerical support (Minimum age 18). Group volunteer opportunities for special projects are also available.

If you are interested in volunteering or your group is interested in providing material support for the Visitation Center, please call Pat Dintaman, Visitation Center Director, 502-636-2801 ext.251 or send an email to the Development Department.

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