Supervised Visitation – Who can supervise custody visitation?
Supervised Visitation – Who can supervise custody visitation?
A court may order supervised visitation in a case of family violence, including child neglect or abuse.
Supervised visitation means the parent committed the abuse or family violence cannot visit the child alone. Therefore, a third party must be present in the room when he or she visits the child.
If the court orders supervised visitation, then it will likely appoint a professional agency capable of supervising such visit. For example, the Harris County Domestic Relations Office (HDRO) provides custody supervision for possessory conservators (i.e. the visiting parent).
Only adults, a person who is 18 or above, are allowed to serve as custody supervisors.
Also, if a parent cannot afford a professional agency, he or she can asks the court to appoint a relative or friend as supervisor.
What Does a Custody Supervisor Do?
A custody supervisor does not just sit there and watch you and your child. His job includes monitoring the interactions; he must be able to hear and see what is going on.
Additionally, the supervisor must make sure the setting is safe, and he has to tell the visiting parent rules and regulations of the visit. If there is a problem, the supervisor has to intervene; he or she may stop the visitation.
Lastly, the supervisor generally writes a report of each visit; these notes are helpful in assessing the parent’s behavior and child’s response – including goals of re-acclimating a child to a parent.
If you need legal assistance or review, call (832) 529-1255 or send an email to office@aminulaw.com.
