A father contacted the Ombudsman alleging that the Office of Children’s Services would not allow him to have visits with his son. According to the Department of Corrections’ records, the father had been incarcerated the majority of the child’s life. He was serving a long-term sentence when the child was taken into OCS custody. The Ombudsman discussed the case with the OCS caseworker who stated that the agency was allowing communication between the father and his son to begin through handwritten letters based on the limited contact over the years. The caseworker’s decision to gradually initiate contact was supported by the child’s mental health therapist who would monitor the written communication and later determine if telephonic visits would be in the best interests of the child. Although the father believed he should be allowed to have visits with the child at the correctional facility, the Ombudsman believed the agency’s gradual approach to visitation was reasonable. (A2017-0206)