Supervised visitation is an excellent way for parents to spend time with their children in a controlled and safe environment. Although most parents subjected to supervised visitations don’t choose to have these arrangements by choice, these parents may be able to see supervised visits as a positive because — if not for supervised visits — they might not be able to see their children at all. If a judge has ordered supervised visitation in your child custody case, you might benefit from knowing the answers to the following questions about the process:
When do courts order supervised visitations?
When a parent suffers from a drug problem, has been convicted of domestic violence or sex crimes or when a parent is deemed to care for the child, a judge may order supervised visits. These supervised visits are intended to provide the child with the benefit of forming a relationship and bond with his or her parent. Even if the court believes the parent is potentially dangerous to the child, it may see supervised visits in a safe setting as a clear and overall benefit.
What should be the goal of supervised visitation?
The goal of supervised visitation between a parent and child is to promote an ongoing parent-child bond while ensuring the safety and security of the child. The court-approved supervisor in supervised visits may also play a role in facilitating healthy interaction between the parent and child.
What is therapeutic supervised visitation?
Therapeutic supervised visitation is usually court-ordered as well. It involves the presence of a mental health counselor who guides the interactions between parent and child in a mentally and emotionally healthy way. The therapist will keep notes and a log to report to the court how the supervised visits are proceeding and how the child and parent comported themselves.
If supervised visitation is a theme in your Texas child custody case, you might want to learn more about the process, who tends to get awarded supervised visits and — depending on your circumstances — how to advocate for supervised visits or defend against them.
