While children and parents need to see each other, Juvenile Court Judge Lindsay Burton said the health and safety of families “is paramount in any decision regarding visitation.”Burton signed an interim order March 18 regarding court-ordered visitation for dependency cases.“The court is requiring that separated families maintain regular contact with each other, if visitation was previously awarded by the court. The court is not requiring in-person, face to face, visitation between parents and children. However, any in-person, face to face visits that can occur are encouraged to continue,” according to the order.DFCS will work with parents and foster families to facilitate contact by video conferencing applications or through telephone calls.
Juvenile Court, DFCS, child advocates adjust to life in pandemic