Family Visitations

Ages 1 month – 17 years

The main goal of a Washington supervised and monitored visits are to keep children safe, both physically and emotionally, while helping both the child(ren) and parent(s) improve their relationship and spend quality time together. Even when a history of issues, such as domestic violence, drug/alcohol use, or abandonment, may exist, the court often believes that it is in the child’s best interests to know and spend time with both parents. In the event when family courts get involved in families to maintain security for children, a judge may order supervised/monitored visitation if the child has not seen his or her parent for an extended period of time, or if the child has not yet met his or her parent.

• The parent needs to work on his or her parenting skills

• There is a history of mental illness or instability

• There is a history of substance abuse

• There is a history of domestic violence or alleged violence

• There is a history of sexual abuse or alleged sexual abuse

• There is a threat of child abduction

Sometimes families are separated due to drugs, crime, violence, or financial hardships. Sometimes families have simply agreed to separate for peace of mind. Whatever the reason may be, we want to support our clients by facilitating a safe environment for their family visitations to occur while they are navigating mediation and family court obligations. Family separations cause adverse childhood experiences that can impact children in multiple ways that last for years. Our goal is making the process less painful for children, youth, and families.

When a family court Judge has ruled a certain amount of hours per week between parents and their child(ren) to maintain a family bond and support system for the child, a trained Visit Supervisor is often contracted to observe and document family interactions to ensure safety for the children and provide reports for the court. In some cases a family member, friend, or neighbor may agree to supervise family visits, but their personal feelings and opinions towards one or both parents can interfere with their ability to be unbiased in what they see or hear at family visits. Not to mention, a person who supervises a family visit can be subpoenaed to testify at a family court hearing which adds undue stress to someone who hasn’t been trained. Visit Supervisors are contracted third-parties and work closely with social workers, attorneys/public defenders, child advocates, caregivers, biological parents, teachers, etc., in an effort of sustaining strong supports for children and families during a transition and/or stressful court proceedings.

The focus of family visits is to maintain and strengthen the bonds between the child(ren) and the biological parent(s) and/or sometimes grandparents and relatives. Parents should always be prepared with their own supplies and to meet the needs of the children from the time of arrival and greeting, until saying ‘goodbye’ and the children’s departure. Visit Supervisors are not babysitters, nannies, or help mates to the parents. More importantly, family visits are a dedicated time for families to communicate, connect, catch up, and spend quality time without the distractions of talking about the open case, cellphone use, video games, emails, work, and having any non-related visitors.

We strive to honor your family time without intervening unnecessarily (unless it is for safety reasons); being prompt and consistent; and maintaining your confidentiality.