The main focus of a Louisiana court when determining child custody matters is what is best for the child. The court does not care about how a decision may affect you or the other parent. It wants to ensure that whatever happens will be the best situation to provide the child with stability and safety. In an effort to help parents understand the focus is on the children, the state created the Access and Visitation Program.
The Department of Children & Family Services explains the program provides a way for both parents to play a more active role in raising their children. The goal is to keep relationships alive between children and both of their parents instead of one parent doing the majority of the work. The Access and Visitation Program is for non-custodial parents, who generally need more support to maintain the relationship with their children and who have a child support case but no real visitation arrangement.
If you are in the program, you will get support for your rights to seeing your children and maintaining the visitation schedule set by the court. You will not have to pay anything to be part of the program, but you do have to participate in it actively.
You will work with an attorney who represents your children. He or she will help you to get a proper visitation order and maintain it. However, keep in mind that this is not your attorney. He or she works on behalf of the children, so you may want to secure your own legal counsel. This information is for education and is not legal advice.