Are the police or authorities suppose to contact the parent when a minor is arrested in Virginia?

When a minor is taken into custody the parents will be notified and a parent or guardian typically must be present in Court for all proceedings.  However, people often confuse this with the idea that the police cannot talk to, interview, or interrogate a juvenile without the parent being present.  This is not true.  The police can, so long as the Constitutional requirements are otherwise met, question a juvenile without parental involvement.  A child's age and maturity is one of many factors that impact whether or not the child knowingly and voluntarily speaks with police, but it is not the only factor.  An attorney would need to investigate all of the facts to determine whether or not any statements made by a juvenile to the police are admissible in Court.