Community Support for Families
A DCF program in collaboration with The Bridgeport Child and Family Guidance Center. The program focuses on wraparound services that connect families to an array of community support and resources to promote the safety and well-being of children and their families and reduce the need for out-of-home placements of children and youth. The Community Support for Families program help families identify goals, eliminate barriers, and tap into resources for their child. Families are guided by their team of supports to empower the family and get closer to a ‘better life’. Participation in Community Support for Families is only by referral from the Department of Children & Families
Supervised Visitation
This is a fee for service program that provides supervised visitation and parenting coaching for families where a child has been removed due to abuse and/or neglect. These families are undergoing treatment as part of the reunification process.
The Center’s Supervised Visitation Program is designed to provide a safe environment for children to visit with their non-custodial parent and/or family members.
Professional assessments, parent education, or recommendations are not part of the visit, but can be provided upon request.
Payment
For private referrals, payments are expected at the visit prior to beginning the visit. Visits for the Department of Children and Families a prior written approval of visitation arrangements must be received prior to scheduling.
Fees are $65.00 per hour, if transportation is needed the time and mileage cost is billed at $65.00 per hour plus $.58 per mile.
The Center offers visits on weekends and holidays depending on Supervisors availability. We conduct visits on-site or off-site and there is no limit on the number of hours per visit.
- What is allowed during visitation by the party being supervised.
- Have fun, keep the visit light. Be interested in your child’s school and how they are doing, their friends, their sports or summer plans. Listen to your child and stay attentive. Keep your mood positive. Give them encouragement, help them with their homework.
- Play games. We have many to offer for children of all ages and the party being supervised and/or the child is welcome to bring their own games or toys.
- We encourage you to bring nutritious food/snacks and drinks to the visit. Time permitting, you could plan to make a lunch or dinner together or bake cookies or color Easter eggs, etc.
- You can color or paint as long as they are washable, play with store bought play dough or make your own and have some fun. Watch a movie.
- You may take appropriate photos of the child if the child is okay with this. You may ask the Supervisor to take photos of you and the child if the child does not hesitate and is open to this.
- If weather permits, we will allow the supervised party and child to go out into the parking lot to throw a ball around or toss a Frisbee, take a walk up to the park at the end of the street to use the playground when available. You might also walk across the street to a restaurant, mall or the bowling alley. As long as you are within walking distance and it is within the visit timeframe, it is not mandatory that you stay inside the building.
Note: you are expected to clean-up a few minutes prior to the visit ending to prepare to leave. The supervisor will let you know 10-15 minutes before the visit is to end as your reminder to begin clean up. If you have not started to clean-up, we will remind you again when there is 5 minutes left to the visit. The room must be left as you found it for the next family.