Programs do allow open communication between parents and child. There is typically at least one parent or family member that the child can speak to on a weekly basis.
There is a misconception circulating here on fornits that programs don't allow this communication. but it is not true.
That's not open communication. Open communication says that a child has the right to say, "I need to call my parents", and is then given access to a phone.
At HLA, a program that was shut down due to a legitmate lawsuit and factual allegations of abuse, communication was highly restricted. A inmate had to earn the ability to call home. Letters must be first be sent and recieved before any phone calls were allowed. No letters would be given or sent out with out first being approved. If a inmate wrote, "This place sucks, I hate it here." Sorry kiddo, that letter isn't going anywhere but the trash can. They refer to that one as 'lying'. If a child wrote, "The staff here is horrible. I'm being abused, here's what happened:.....". Well at HLA that was refered to as 'manipulating' and would never be mailed out. If a child who was abused by a parent says something like, "I hate you for what you did to me." Well that's called being abusive and also will be thrown in the trash. If a parent writes to a child and says, "I'm not sure I like that place. I'm thinking about taking you out of there. Tell me what's going on." You can rest assured the child will never see that letter.
Phone calls are no different. A "counselor" sits in on all ten minute phone calls (15 depending on how long you've been there) and the second you say something they on't like, the call is disconnected.
Whenever a child is placed on restrictions he is denied phone calls with his parents until he comes off. Counselors communicate for the child during this time.
None of this falls under open communication, and all of it is abusive.
