Bringing a Child to Visit a Juvenile: Permission, Background Checks, and Forms (WV Juvenile Services)
Getting a child approved for a juvenile visit in West Virginia comes down to two things: submitting the right paperwork and meeting the rules for visitors under 18. Here's what the WV Juvenile Services visiting request form says about where to send it, how approval works, and what you'll need when bringing a child.
WV Juvenile Services uses a visiting request form that’s submitted by mail. The form instructs you to mail your completed request to the WV Division of Corrections & Rehabilitation, Bureau of Juvenile Services, Attn: Visitors Request, 1409 Greenbrier Street, Charleston, WV 25311.
Need to reach the Bureau of Juvenile Services? The phone number listed on the form is 304-558-2036, and the fax is 304-558-6032.
Submitting paperwork is only part of the process. The form directs you to contact the specific facility where the juvenile is housed to get background-check approval and schedule your visit. You'll work directly with that location for both clearance and the actual appointment.
Note: The Superintendent can deny your visit even if your background check was approved.
WV Juvenile Services has a strict rule for visitors under 18: you can only apply to bring a child if you can prove you're their parent or legal guardian. Without proof of that relationship, you can't submit an application for the child.
Here's a requirement that catches families off guard: the parent or legal guardian must be on the juvenile's approved visiting list before anyone else can bring the child in. Even if another relative plans to handle transportation and supervision, the parent or guardian needs approval first.
If someone other than the parent or legal guardian wants to bring the child, they'll need a notarized permission slip from the parent or guardian. Without it, the child won't be allowed in with the alternate adult.
Already completed this form for the same offender at another juvenile facility? You probably don't need to fill it out again - unless the previous form is more than one year old.
Quick Checklist
- ✓ Make sure the child’s parent/legal guardian is on the offender’s approved visiting list before anyone else tries to bring the child.
- ✓ Only apply to bring children under 18 if you can provide proof you are the child’s parent or legal guardian.
- ✓ If someone other than the parent/legal guardian is bringing the child, get a notarized permission slip from the parent/legal guardian.
- ✓ Contact the facility where the offender is located for background-check approval and to schedule the visit.
- ✓ If you completed this visiting form for the same offender at another juvenile facility within the last year, don’t resubmit it.
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