Many times, once a divorce has become final, many miles grow between a child and his or her non-custodial parent. When the custodial parent moves away, keeping in regular contact with the child can prove to be extremely difficult for the non-custodial parent. Feeling helpless as to what to do, and how to stay in touch, the non-custodial parent watches his or her very own child, move away, and seemingly slip out of the non-custodial parent’s life. With the expense of long distance phone calls, coupled along with the rising cost of gas prices, the ability for the non-custodial parent to keep in regular and meaningful contact with his or he child, and maintain a strong connection to one and other, can seem as though it is an impossible task.

A few states have taken notice of this issue for non-custodial parents and their children and are working on a new solution, which is referred to as virtual visitation. This is set up with a web cam in each the non-custodial parent’s home, as well as the child’s home. It allows the non-custodial parent and child to see each other in near real, to real time, depending on the quality of the camera and the software. In Utah, virtual visitation can already be ordered as an official form of visitation in a divorce agreement. Many other states are attempting to follow in Utah’s footsteps and already have prepared, or are preparing similar proposals to their own lawmakers.

Many advocates of virtual visitation feel that greater number of non-custodial parents would feel more inclined to pay their child support regularly, for a child that they are able to stay in contact with on a regular basis, maintaining a strong connection. By using virtual visitation the non-custodial parent can see those everyday moments such as a loose tooth, or a new hair cut, and maintain that connection with their child, despite the miles that are between the two. Many also feel that it would be easier for the child, or children, to visit the non-custodial parent if he or she has been regularly seeing that parent’s face via virtual visitation. If a non-custodial parent can only afford to have the child come for a visit once or twice a year, virtual visitation relieves the child’s anxiety and fears over if they will remember what their mom or dad looks like when they get off the plane, train, or bus.

The only hesitation that lawmakers are having with the idea of virtual visitation is that the non-custodial parent would rely solely on the virtual visitation and no longer visit the child in person, which would be damaging to the child, as well as the child parent relationship. But most who have been made aware of the idea of virtual visitation find that the positives far outweigh the negative. For non-custodial parents who are looking for more information on virtual visitation please click the link below. http://www.InternetVisitation.org/