Can virtual visitation be a solution for long distance families?

When parents separate, it can often mean that one or both of them will decide to relocate to a different town, city or state. The parents will have their own reasons for doing so: Perhaps they want to be closer to family or they want to gain new career opportunities. However, relocation after a parental separation can have implications for the children.

Many children in the state of Texas have parents who live long distances away, and this can mean that typical child custody arrangements will simply not be possible. In order to help put some regulation into helping the child have a bond with their long-distant parent, the child custody system has looked to technology in order to help solve the issue.

What is virtual visitation?

Virtual visitation is a term that is used to describe regulated communication between the parent and the child that is facilitated through technology. This technology could include video call services such as Skype and FaceTime, or it could be through simple phone calls or text messages.

The child custody courts in the state of Texas may decide that a ruling for virtual visitation might help a parent and a child to build their relationship across distances. Having an arrangement in place can promote the building of this relationship, and it can defeat any reluctance that the other parent might have toward it.

If you are a single parent and you are not the primary custodian of your child, you may want to look into how virtual visitation could work for you.