Supervised visitation centers have arisen only in the past ten years as a response to domestic violence cases outside of the child welfare arena. Visitation for children in foster care and their biological parents has existed for decades; however, only recently has supervised visitation been available solely for victims of domestic violence.

The McLean County Family Visitation Center has provided services to parents and children since 1999. With funding from the Department of Justice Violence Against Women Office, technical assistance from Praxis International and in partnership with the McLean County Board, McLean County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, and Neville House Battered Women’s Shelter, the McLean County Family Visitation Center has provided supervised non-custodial parental visitations and supervised exchanges to victims of:

• Domestic violence
• Child abuse
• Stalking
• Sexual abuse

The McLean County Family Visitation Center offers a safe, neutral site for visitation between the non-custodial parent and child(ren). The Center offers safety protocols that keep parents separated during visitation or exchange drop-off and therefore in compliance with orders of protection and no contact orders. The nurturing setting offers a warm and cozy environment for visitation. Referrals to The McLean County Family Visitation Center come from the Court, attorneys including Prairie State Legal Services, therapists and counselors, physicians, and service agencies. Parents may self refer. After the referral is made, both parties must arrange for an intake appointment with staff. The intakes are done with parents separately. Intakes with children can be arranged and are encouraged in order to familiarize children with the Family Visitation Center. Fees are on a sliding scale according to income. Family Visitation Center services are open to families who are residents of McLean, Dewitt, Piatt, Ford, and Woodford Counties.

For more information on The Family Visitation Center contact:

Lesley Frey, MSW, Program Supervisor at lfrey@tcf.chasi.org
Bethany Wegner, Program Director at bwenger@tcf.chasi.org