Children

Children’s safe exchange and visitation services reduce risks for violence while encouraging safety, healing, and healthy parent-child connection.

Community members gathered on November 10th to support the launch of children’s safe exchange and visitation services for residents of Boyle, Garrard, Lincoln, and Mercer counties. Grace Church provides space for services in the children’s wing of their facility in Danville.  

“As a church, we are committed to helping the families and children of our community flourish,” says Director of Ministries Kevin Dilbeck. “We are excited to open some of our space to help meet this need.” 

More than 400 petitions for orders of protection are filed in the region each year. Escalation of violence is common when victims separate from abusive partners, and many survivors and their children risk harm while fulfilling custody agreements.  

When visitation between child(ren) and the non-custodial parent/guardian must be supervised, for example by court order, a specially trained monitor is present to document observations during the visitation. Safe exchanges oversee the transition of child(ren) between parents/ guardians if off-site visitation is allowed. 

No contact occurs between custodial and non-custodial parties during visitations or exchanges. Up to 30 weekly visitations and exchanges will be facilitated when the program reaches operational capacity.  

Shannon Weer coordinates the newest location. Shannon is a former professor in the criminal justice department at Eastern Kentucky University, where she taught domestic violence issues. 

“We provide a space for families where children are kept safe,” Shannon says. 

We commit to prioritizing the safety of children and adults; honoring the nature, dynamics, and impact of intimate partner abuse; and treating participants with fairness and respect. 

Planning has begun to expand the Children’s Safe Exchange and Visitation program to Boyle County next year. 

Members of Grace Church have generously agreed to provide space for the services in the children’s wing of their facility in Danville.  

“As a church, we are committed to helping the families and children of our community flourish,” says Assistant Pastor Kevin. “We are excited about the opportunity to open some of our space to help meet this need.” 

The program currently operates in Fayette and Scott counties. Services honor the importance of the parent-child relationship and strengthen this bond without the worry of conflict, intimidation, control, and abuse.  

“No one issue or need in our community will be met by a single organization,” Kevin explains. “It takes many people and organizations playing a small part, and we are excited to play ours.” 

Additional funding from the Hudson-Ellis Fund at Blue Grass Community Foundation will support program start-up costs.