Bridges Family Center

Contact Information

Fayetteville

4792316778

Organization Information

Mission: The mission of Bridges Family Center is to safely unite children and parents during difficult and challenging family life transitions. Bridges takes a child centered approach and focuses on the child's well-being during supervised visits or safe exchanges.

About: Haley is a NWA native. She completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Haley worked locally as a secondary education teacher for several years before transitioning to the nonprofit sector. As a foster parent, she became aware of Supervised Visitations. The seed was planted years ago and came to life in 2017. Haley is passionate about helping children during difficult family life transitions.

Services: Our visit rooms are decorated as inviting family rooms. Families may borrow games, puzzles, toys, art and craft supplies from our play room to use during their visits. Bridges encourages family bonding through age appropriate, developmental play. Families may share a meal or snack together. Our goals are for the children to feel safe, for the children to enjoy the visit and to strengthen the relationship between child and parent. Bridges will provide services to children age birth to 18.

Supervised Visits may be needed for several reasons such as a noncustodial, biological parent that is court ordered to be monitored during visits for the child's safety. Bridges will accept local court referrals in several areas such as domestic violence, custody & divorce cases or Family in Need of Services (FINS) cases. A trained, professional Monitor is present for the child's safety as well as for court reporting. Bridges will also incorporate supportive services to assist the parent and to prevent the need for future social services.

Bridges also provides visit rooms for pre or post adoption situations. A pre-adoption visit with a child and the matched adoptive parent(s) may be done at our private and secure location. Bridges will also assist in post-adoption visit with significant individuals to the child, such as a biological grandmother or previous foster parents. These visits may not require professional monitoring; however, monitoring is now an available option. Bridges will offer privacy, security and sensitivity during these visits that currently occur in very public places. Bridges hopes to lower the anxiety and stress of everyone by providing a calm setting in a neutral location.

Safe Exchanges can be used when parents have an existing no contact order or restraining order to stay physically apart. Sometimes parents choose exchange services to prevent the child from witnessing their conflict during separation, custody cases or after the divorce. Bridges will handle the exchange so the adults have zero contact and the child has a conflict free exchange.

Bridges will also offer parenting classes on various topics to strengthen families in need. Nurturing parenting, nutrition, discipline and other protective factors will be conducted on site by certified trainers. Classes will be small group settings and centered on the participants successfully completing and retaining the knowledge.

Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteer Monitors & front desk help, Instructors for classes