The Quiet Place, developed in 2008, is a Social Ministry of the Lutheran Ministries of Alabama, Inc. The Quiet Place provides a neutral setting for families who have had difficulty with visitation in the past, whatever the reason for difficulty in the past may be.
The center has been developed in the spirit of the lesson that each child deserves the opportunity to develop a relationship with each natural parent. If that relationship needs a place to be built and to flourish, then the Quiet Place can be that place.
Working with the courts, attorneys, guardians, health professionals and the clients themselves, the Quiet Place works to nurture the relationships in a safe, secure environment free of conflict and strife.
This setting not only builds these relationships, but also allows the children to develop their own opinions about their non-custodial parents, without outside interference.
As the setting is neutral yet homey, all involved can enjoy the visit knowing that they and their children, and the visit, are safe and secure.
Safety is essential for all visitation center participants. The Quiet Place is no exception, expecting that all will follow the requirement that staff and center guidelines be followed at all times. Our safety guidelines include:
- Separate waiting areas
- Qualified visitation staff
- Established protocol for crisis situations
- Zero tolerance of any violence or inappropriate behavior
The Quiet Place provides families with a variety of services. Among these are Visitation, Monitored Exchange Program, and Referrals to Resources.
Visitation
Our visitation rooms have seating and a variety of toys and games that allow for parent-child interaction. The center offers one-hour or multi-hour supervised visits, with arrangements for longer visits available under special circumstances Ð please contact us to discuss if longer visits are necessary.
Families may have more than one visit during the week, based on space availability in scheduling.
The non-custodial parent will arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled visitation time, with the custodial parent arriving with the child(ren) at the scheduled visitation time. A staff person then escorts the child(ren) to the visitation room, avoiding any contact or confrontation between the parents. The custodial parent leaves the premises during the visit, with the staff person escorting the child(ren) to the custodial parent at the end of the scheduled visitation time. The non-custodial parent is then permitted to leave 15 minutes after the custodial parent and child(ren) have left.
Monitored Exchange Program
Following a similar procedure to the one above, the Monitored Exchange Program allows a safe way for parents to exchange children for extended visitations.
Referrals to Resources
The Quiet Place will also provide referrals, where appropriate, for resources that include:
- Financial Assistance
- Legal Assistance
- Health Professionals
- Employment Assistance
- Housing Assistance
- Support for Families with Other Needs
Help Support the Quiet Place
The Quiet Place needs your help, too. We welcome any of the following items at any time:
- Toys
- Books
- Card Games
- Board Games
- Educational Products
- Drink Boxes
- Crackers/Snacks*
*New/Unexpired items only, please