Supervised Visitation

When a child is neglected in North Carolina, a variety of custody agreements may be made. For children and their parents, one of those alternatives is supervised visitation.

The guide in this blog post defines supervised visitation, outlines when it can be suitable, and outlines standard guidelines for supervised visitation.
When a parent is only allowed to spend time with their child under the supervision of another adult, this is known as supervised visitation.

Physical custody of the child is normally shared by the other parent or another suitable guardian. The child has supervised visitation with the other parent on a predetermined schedule and resides with their parent or guardian who holds physical custody. An adult the parties agree upon could oversee the visit at a home or public place, or a qualified child development specialist or social worker could provide supervision at a specified visitation venue.

In cases when the state has taken a child away from one or more parent(s) because of abuse or neglect, supervised visits may also be mandated. In these situations, the child might be in foster care or living with other family members, but they might still get to see their parent under supervision.

When Is Supervised Visitation Ordered by the Court?

If there is cause to think that the child is not secure in that parent’s care alone, but there is also cause to think that it is in the child’s best interests to see that parent occasionally, the court will impose supervised visitation.

The following are some instances in which the court might mandate monitored visitation:

1. When there have been allegations of abuse and neglect directed towards the parent.
2. When a parent poses a risk to their child due to addiction or mental health difficulties
3. When a parent alienates their child from their other parent, the court wants to be sure the parent isn’t trying to do the same to the child.
4. The court wishes to make sure that a parent who poses a flight risk does not abduct the child.

If the court determines that the child’s best interests lie in maintaining contact with the parent who has to be supervised rather than in the child’s best interests to be with that parent alone without a trustworthy third party present, only then will the court grant supervised visitation.

Where the Visiting Can Take Place

The location of the supervised visits is the first matter that needs to be decided. There are frequently places that are set apart, like a courtroom chamber or private or public facilities for supervised visits. Supervised visiting in a courtroom or facility is typically subject to a fee. When the visits take place at establishments managed by the public, the court may occasionally waive these costs.

Supervised visits might sometimes happen in a person’s home or in a public area. A supervised visit could take place at a park nearby or at a grandparent’s house, for instance. The best interests of the kid are to be determined by the court.

Who Oversees the Visitations?

Who will oversee the visits is the second significant matter that needs to be resolved.

Supervision is usually under the purview of a qualified social worker or child development specialist. The child’s safety and the smooth operation of the visit are guaranteed by the social worker or development specialist who keeps an eye on the interactions between the parent and child.

However, supervised visitation guidelines, such as prohibiting the parent and child from spending time alone together, must be adhered to by the person in charge of supervision.

How long will it be mandatory to have supervised visits?

Sometimes, supervised visits are mandated temporarily until the problem requiring the supervision is fixed. For instance, if a parent who was previously only permitted supervised visits due to addiction problems is able to overcome those problems and is no longer a risk to the kid, the parent may be eligible for unsupervised visits.

In order to assist decide whether supervised visits should continue or whether the parent should be given some unsupervised time, the visitation supervisor may be required to take notes regarding the parent and child’s interactions. These notes can then be presented to the court.

In addition, the parent has the option to petition the court to request a modification of the visitation schedule, such as a switch to unsupervised visits. If there is a significant change in circumstances, the court may adjust an existing custody agreement that stipulates monitored visits. The court may make any necessary adjustments if it is no longer in the child’s best interests for supervised visits to continue.

Parents in a custody dispute when supervised visits are ordered can get help from an accomplished lawyer. Parents who need assistance navigating the regulations surrounding supervised visitation as well as any future adjustments to their custody agreement can speak with an attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions About Supervised Visitation

1. What is Supervised Visitation?

Under supervised visitation, a designated third party supervises a non-custodial parent as they spend time with their child. This arrangement is mandated by the court.

2. Why is ordered visitation under supervision?

In order to safeguard the child’s safety, courts may impose supervised visitation in response to worries about a parent’s actions, such as substance misuse, aggression, or neglect.

3. Who is in charge of the visits?

The court may appoint a third party to oversee visitation who is impartial and usually a trusted family member or a professional supervisor.

4. Can one have brief visits under supervision?

Yes, it is frequently mandated as a stopgap until problems are resolved. Later on, the court could change its mind and amend the agreement.

5. How does one go about asking for parent-supervised visitation?

If one parent is concerned that the other parent won’t be able to keep the child safe during unsupervised visits, they can ask the court for supervised visitation.

6. Is in-person supervised visitation the norm?

Not always. In certain situations, the non-custodial parent and the child may be able to communicate via virtual or supervised phone calls.