Supervised visitation offers a safe, supervised visit for a specified duration between a non-custodial parent and his/her child(ren). The purpose of this program is to protect the child from the possible threat of any physical or emotional harm or manipulation.
Supervised visits are available for parents who have been accused or convicted of child abuse. It is available at the Help-In-Crisis office after business hours. During supervised visits, two trained staff members are required to be present at all times. At least one of the supervising staff must be a paid employee of Help-In-Crisis. The other may be a trained volunteer.
Visits must be scheduled a minimum of five working days in advance. Upon scheduling the first supervised visitation session, the visiting parent will receive orientation from an authorized employee of Help-In-Crisis. The custodial parent is required to attend orientation separately from the non-custodial parent.
Responsibility for payment will be determined in the court hearing. The rate for scheduled supervised visitation is $30 per hour. Payment must be made via money order or cashier's check five days in advance of the scheduled visit. Supervised visitation is for the non-custodial parent only. The spouse, girl friend/boy friend, or extended family of the non-custodial parent will not be allowed to attend the visit unless stipulated by the court. If additional adults are allowed to visit by court order, an additional fee of $10 per extra adult will apply.
Supervised visitation sessions are documented through the use of a sign-in sheet. The sign-in sheet contains an emergency contact number for the custodial parent, waiver of liability and signature line for the visiting parent, and any relevant notes recorded by the supervising staff following the visit.
Tips for the Visiting Parent
- Read the court order.
- Arrive and depart on time.
- Avoid discussing the court case or terms of the visit with your child.
- Avoid quizzing your child about the other parent's activities and relationships.
- Avoid making your child a messenger to the other party
- Say brief and positive good-byes to your child when the visit is over
Tips for the Custodial Parent
- Read the court order.
- Explain to your child where and when the visits will take place.
- Have your child ready on time and be prompt.
- Reassure your child that you support him or her in having a pleasant visit.
- Avoid quizzing your child about the visit.
- Avoid making your child a messenger to the other party.
