May is Supervised Visitation Awareness Month

May is Supervised Visitation Awareness Month and Olmsted County is raising awareness to ensure children and families are supported during these visits. Supervised visitation is designed to ensure children can have safe contact with a parent or other significant adults during times of family conflict or transition.

“Relationships can be disrupted through divorce, domestic violence, child maltreatment, and other conflicts. It is essential for children to maintain relationships with parents and other significant adults even through these challenging circumstances,” said Family Service Rochester Director of Child Welfare Services Kelli DeCook. “Supervised parenting time allows families opportunities to maintain vital relationships while preventing children from being placed in the middle of adult conflict.”

The Family Access Center, a partnership between Olmsted County and Family Service Rochester, provides a safe and secure supervised visitation setting which helps children maintain relationships with parents and other significant adults. In 2022, the Family Access Center provided a safe environment for 1,200 parent and child interactions as well as 300 safe exchanges of children between caregivers. These services allowed 142 children and 187 caregivers to maintain relationships.

“The Family Access Center provides support during challenging family times to help maintain important relationships,” said Olmsted County Director of Child and Family Services Amy Rauchwarter. “Olmsted County appreciates the partnership with Family Service Rochester to provide this vital service to our community.”

Learn more about supervised visitation by visiting www.familyservicerochester.org.