The Headwaters Family Visit Centre provides a safe, neutral and child focused setting for visits and exchanges between children and the non-residential parent or another adult, such as a grandparent.

Objectives

  • To provide a safe, neutral and child-focused setting for visits between a child and non-residential parent or other person.
  • To ensure the safety of all participants, including staff and volunteers.
  • To provide trained staff and volunteers to facilitate positive interaction between parents and their children.
  • To provide factual observation notes about the participants’ use of the service to assist families and the court in making decisions about access.

When parents separate, access visits with children may become problematic. Sometimes, difficulties arise at the time of the exchange of the child between the parents, or between the parent and a relative, such as a grandparent. Other times, there may be concerns about the visits themselves.

The Headwaters Family Visit Centre offers separated families a way to deal with some of these problems by maintaining the important emotional bonds with family members in a setting that is both pleasant and supportive.

Supervised visits may be appropriate in cases where, for example, there are concerns about the safety of a child and/or the child’s parent; the non-residential parent has a drug or alcohol problem or a psychiatric disability; there has been a lengthy separation between the non-residential parent and the child; or there is a risk of abduction.

Supervised exchanges may be appropriate in different types of situations. In separated families where there is a great deal of unresolved conflict between the parents, a neutral place to exchange the children for visits makes access easier to arrange and reduces the tension for the child. In some cases, it is important to ascertain whether or not the parent who is visiting with the child is under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the exchange. In other cases, the safety of one of the parties at the time of the exchange may be a concern.

Prior to utilizing the program, both the residential and non-residential parents must contact the Supervisor to set up an initial intake interview. At that interview, parents will be requested to provide a copy of the family court order or written agreement as well as copies of any criminal court orders. For more information, please contact Karenda Carpenter (Supervisor) at: 519-941-1530 Ext. 303

The Headwaters Family Visit Centre charges an annual user fee to participants.

Tuesday: 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Friday: 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Saturday: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Sunday: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

The Government of Ontario

Monetary donations are welcome and charitable receipts are available upon request.

If you have any difficulty accessing forms or documents, please contact us at 519-941-1530 and we will be happy to assist you further.