Our mission is to maximize the opportunity for children of dual household families to enjoy positive and constructive relationships with both parents.

As the Owner and Program Director of Family Ties, I feel very strongly about the needs of children. Since 1987, I have worked in some capacity that has had a direct impact on children and families in the tri-county area. Children are our future. They are dependent and impressionable. The uniformity of research on the negative impact of parental conflict is overwhelming. The longer the exposure to conflict goes on, the more toxic it is to children. Everyone at Family Ties is a child-focused agent of change who supervises, supports and trains both parents so they learn to co-parent in a respectfully disengaged manner while maintaining healthy relationships with their children. Children and families deserve that. And we believe that most families want to stop the conflict, they just do not know how to do it. We understand and may be able to help.

– Linda Toporek

NOTE CHANGES TO PROGRAM AS OF MARCH 1, 2022: Details of the changes to supervised visitation services are included under Services on this website.

Family Ties of the Lowcountry opened in 2009 providing Supervised Visitation and Monitored Exchange Services. We now have 8 professionals who are well-trained and experienced in assisting families working through a multitude of possible issues requiring court order intervention.    These services have been enhanced to include Therapeutic Supervised Visitation when more intervention is needed. Transition Assistance is also available if parents need a plan to move from supervised to unsupervised visitation with their children. Kamisha Pruitt is responsible for scheduling supervised visits.

In 2012, we added Co-Parent Training and Support Services to help families going through separation, divorce or custody disputes. During the divorce process, parents often struggle to restructure their family. Parenting skills are compromised, children’s needs are overlooked and the parents’ personal issues become blurred with their children’s. Our Co-Parent Training and Support Services include teaching the skills necessary for effective co-parenting including: communicating and negotiating in a child-focused manner; developing individualized parenting plans; identifying obstacles to cooperative co-parenting and finding solutions that fit a family’s specific familial needs. Linda Toporek provides these services.

THIS COURSE IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. PLEASE CHECK BACK IN THE FUTURE.  In 2014, we added an 8 week Cooperative Parenting and Divorce Course which helps parents disengage emotionally and remain focused on their children’s needs. We feel that once parents attend this course, they will not only be in a better position to co-parent their children cooperatively but will utilize our Co-Parent Training and Support Services  with an improved perspective that will expedite the process and help them achieve their goals. Negotiating a detailed parenting plan that will work specifically for their newly restructured family will be less stressful and will require less of a time commitment. This course can be completed in a group setting or in individual sessions. Linda Toporek provides these services.

Custody Related Home Studies can also be provided.  Other services will be added as community needs are identified and programs can be developed. Family Ties is knowledgeable about community resources and will assist you in finding the help you need for your family. April Whitford provides these services.