What are supervised visits in child custody cases?

Parents going through a divorce or a child custody case will have to figure out visitation for the children. This can be either supervised or unsupervised, depending on the circumstances. Child custody paperwork will outline the schedule for the visits with the noncustodial parent and relay the type of visit that’s allowed.

The court has to consider what’s best for the child when setting the child custody terms. If there is any reason to think that they will be in danger during time with a parent, which might occur in domestic violence situations, an order for supervised visits may be put in place.

What is a supervised visit?

During a supervised visit, there is another person present who monitors the interactions between the parent and the child. The court determines how these visits are handled. Sometimes, they will happen at a Supervised Visitation Program facility. These have volunteer supervisors who keep an eye on the visits to ensure the children remain safe. The participants have to follow certain rules if they want to get the entire visit. The visit will stop, and a report is sent to the court if a participant doesn’t follow the rules.

Are supervised visits forever?

Supervised visits are usually only ordered for as long as the court feels the child may be in danger. The length is determined by the circumstances. For example, a person who has a child abuse conviction might never get away from supervised visits. Many parents are able to move to unsupervised visits when they meet the requirements of the court.

How can you build a relationship during supervised visits?

You and your child can make the most of the supervised visits by doing things together. You might be able to play games or read to the child. Sometimes, you can just talk to them. Children feed off the emotions of their parents, so remember to go into the visit happy about being able to see them at all.

While supervised visits aren’t ideal for most parents, they are still a way for you to have contact with your children when the court feels there is a reason to avoid having private visits. If you are in this position, you should learn about options and find out exactly what you need to do so you can try to get the supervision requirement removed from the visits with your children.