Supervised and Supported Family Time
Safe, structured contact between children and parents
What is Supervised Contact or Family Time?
Supervised Family Time is when a trained supervisor is present during visits between a child and their parent. This ensures the child’s safety and well-being. It is often used when there are concerns about the child’s safety or when the Court has ordered supervision.
When is Supervised Contact Needed?
Supervised contact is needed when there are worries about a child’s safety with a parent. This could be due to issues like domestic abuse, substance abuse, or mental health concerns. The Court may order supervision to ensure the child is safe during visits. Supervised family time is usually ongoing, with visits usually happening fortnightly or weekly. The Court might, for example, say a parent needs to be supervised for three months, then review the situation.
Our Approach
Our approach to supervised family time includes:
Experienced Supervisors
Our team is skilled in handling complex family situations.
Detailed Observations
We take notes during visits and prepare detailed reports for the Court.
Child-Friendly Spaces
We ensure the environment is comfortable and safe for the child.
Timely Reports
We aim to provide reports within 72 hours to avoid delays.
What is Supported Family Time?
Supported Family Time is a step down from supervised contact. It involves a trained supervisor being present but not as closely monitoring the visit. This option is suitable when there are fewer concerns about the child’s safety, or when there has been a successful period of supervised family time, but some support is still needed.
When is This Option Suitable?
Supported family time is suitable when the family is moving towards unsupervised visits. It helps build trust and confidence between the parent and child while still providing some level of oversight. Supported family time can also involve assisting with handovers if parents are not comfortable seeing each other or not currently permitted to have contact.
Our Approach
Our approach to supported family time includes:
1. Assisting with Handovers
We help with the transition between parents during visits.
2. Neutral Observations
We provide unbiased observations and feedback.
3. Flexible Locations
Visits can take place in the community, such as parks or cafes, or in family homes.
4. Supervised Overnight Stays
When we are ready to progress to this step, our team can support overnight stays by staying in the family home to ensure all runs smoothly.
FAQs
What is a supervised visit?
A supervised visit is when contact between a child and parent takes place under the observation of a trained professional. The professional monitors interactions and may write a report on their observations. This type of visit aims to assess the parent-child relationship.
What are the reasons for supervised contact?
Supervised contact may be recommended when there are concerns about a child’s safety, unresolved allegations or when a risk assessment is incomplete. It provides a safe space for contact to occur while professionals monitor the situation and gather information to help inform future decisions.
How to arrange supervised visits?
You can make a referral directly to our service. Once we receive the referral, a member of our team will contact you to discuss next steps and allocate a professional to support and oversee the visits, depending on your family’s needs and the nature of the contact.
Other Ways We Can Help
Indirect family time supervision
We help maintain family relationships through indirect contact methods such as calls, video messages or letters, where appropriate.
Section 7 reports
We provide child-focused Section 7 reports under the Children Act 1989, giving the Court a clear picture of what is in the child’s best interests.
Reunification work
We deliver structured plans that support safe and gradual reunification between children and their parents in complex circumstances.