Live, video visitation sessions using a Web cam

What Is Virtual Visitation? Virtual Visitation, also known as Internet Visitation, Virtual Parent-Time, Computer Visitation as well as by other names, is fast becoming an important style of communication between non-custodial parents and their children. Through the use of Our-FamilySpace parents can stay connected to their children in more personal ways than a telephone could ever offer.

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Virtual Visitation is a wonderful way for parents and children to stay connected whether they live down the block from each other or across the ocean. The overall goal for Our-FamilySpace is to help Co-Parents maintain and nurture your parent-child relationship and be able to share your lives together no matter where you are.

Visit online anytime augment and complement face-to-face visitation with web cams (cameras) that have recently emerged as one possibility for seeing your child over the Internet. A web cam acts as a video camera and records a live image, sending it over the Internet to a viewer at another computer with Internet access. This may be a solution for you and your child's other parent to work out a way to visit when you are separated by distance. You can see the expression on your child's face or some item they want to show you.

For many divorced parents, Virtual Visitation probably isn’t even an issue. Many people who want to use Our-FamilySpace use it on a regular basis to contact their children with no problems as to how often or how much time they spend. But in cases of difficult divorces or where the non-custodial parent feels they are being kept from their child, having Virtual Visitation rights and exercising it on Our-FamilySpace as part of the custody agreement is important. Currently four states allow Virtual Visitation as part of custody agreements and up to twenty-seven states are working on such bills. Having these rights written out in your custody agreement is the safest way to ensure you will be allowed to spend time with your child via
Our-FamilySpace.

Critics of this legislation are concerned that Virtual Visitation will somehow replace the actual face-to-face visit for some parents or make it easier for judges to allow the custodial parents to move away with the children. The authors of the bills, however, are careful with the wording to protect against these issues. They insist that Virtual Visitation is just another way to add to the parenting relationship, not take away from it.

What you need to start - You will need two computers with Internet access and two Web cams, each attached to one of the computers. This will enable your child to see you, as well as, you to see your child. Web cams (small cameras that mount on your computer and send pictures over the Internet) can range in price from $15 to $400. It is important to evaluate your needs as well as the interface that your computer can support. We would also recommend a microphone most computers come with one. Microphones are pretty inexpensive form $5 to $25. Audio and video are intergrated into Our-FamilySpace however some user prefer to use the phone for audio.

Your Internet connection - will make a difference in the quality of the pictures. A dial up connection is possible but the picture will be slower and more broken up. We would recommend a cable connection is a better option if that is available to you. Keep your expectations in check. If there is a slow internet connection the pictures will be choppy and will seem more like a series of still pictures.

With Our-FamilySpace's video technology you can adjust for any connection speed. With a cable internet connection the video and audion streams very well. On the other hand, seeing one another's faces can be a major boost to a long distance relationship. It is a useful way to supplement instant messaging and e-mail.