Visiting with children: VADOC rules for video visits involving minors
Planning a video visit with kids? VADOC has a few rules that catch families off guard. Follow the guidelines below to keep everyone included and avoid having the visit cut short.
VADOC caps video visits at five people at any time, and that includes children. If your family is larger, you'll need to rotate who appears on camera so you stay under the five-person limit throughout the visit.
When minors are part of the visit, at least one participant must be 18 or older. That adult has to be the child's parent or legal guardian. Kids can't join a video visit on their own, and the supervising adult needs to be on camera, not just nearby.
Everyone who participates must be pre-registered. If someone walks into the room mid-visit and isn't registered, they shouldn't sit down and join in. Plan ahead for kids, co-parents, grandparents, or anyone else who might appear on camera, even briefly.
At VADOC Visitor Centers, parents and legal guardians are responsible for controlling their children. Kids aren't allowed to roam, and the visiting room isn't a playroom. If you're bringing children, have a plan to keep them close, calm, and supervised the whole time.
Note: At Visitor Centers, if you don't maintain proper supervision of children after a warning, staff may end the visit.
Practical Tips
- ✓ Count heads before you start. You can have up to five participants total, including children.
- ✓ Make sure at least one participant is 18+ and is the parent or legal guardian for any minor who is present.
- ✓ Pre-register every person who might be on camera (including kids). Do not let an unregistered person sit down and join mid-visit.
- ✓ If you are in a Visitor Center, keep children with you and under control. They cannot roam, and the visiting room is not a playroom.
- Confirm everyone is pre-registered. Only pre-registered people should participate, even if someone is “just stepping in to say hi.”
- Choose a spot where you can supervise. Whether you are at home or in a Visitor Center, set up so the parent/guardian can stay engaged with the visit and keep kids close.
- Prep kids for what “participating” means. Remind them they need to stay with you and on appropriate behavior since roaming in the visiting room is not allowed.
- Respond immediately to staff direction or a warning. In a Visitor Center, if you are warned about supervision and it does not improve, the visit may be terminated.
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