In any family situation involving legal issues, visitation can be essential to help children maintain healthy relationships with their non-custodial parents. These visits can help preserve the child’s development and meet their emotional needs by establishing a sense of stability and security. However, some cases can have high-risk circumstances, causing harm to the child. In these situations, the court can require supervised visitation.
This arrangement involves a third party to oversee visits between children and their non-custodial parents. The third party can be a trained professional who can help keep the child safe and ensure the visit follows restrictions in the court order. Supervised visitation can be necessary in the following scenarios:
- The case involves incidents of domestic abuse, neglect, violence and substance abuse.
- The non-custodial parent has mental health issues or illnesses.
- The child has been alienated or apart from the non-custodial parent for a long time.
- The court can consider other factors that can pose harm, such as the possibility of the non-custodial parent fleeing with the child.
These arrangements can include various features, such as monitoring exchanges or enforcing no-contact restrictions. The rules exist to allow the child to develop connections with their non-custodial parents while prioritizing safety.
Determining visitation requirements
Regarding visitation, its details can significantly hinge on the case and the family’s situation. Some cases may involve little to no disputes, potentially resulting in simple setups without having to enter supervision programs. Other times, the children can face high-risk scenarios, especially if the case involves severe disputes that can impact the entire family. In these instances, it is best to get legal counsel and allow the court to determine the most appropriate visitation type that puts the child’s best interests first.