What are the Rules for Supervised Visitation?

What are the Rules for Supervised Visitation?

Child custody arrangements can be difficult for everyone involved and managing the extra stress of supervised visitation can be especially challenging. Supervised visitation in Texas is implemented when the courts believe it is in the best interest of the child to maintain contact with their non-custodial parent, but also has concerns about the child’s safety and well-being during the visitation. 

Supervised visitation means that the non-custodial parent will be able to spend time with their child in the presence of an approved supervisor. Over time, this arrangement can change if the non-custodial parent consistently shows responsible, safe, and healthy behavior toward their child. 

Any parents facing a difficult custody situation should immediately consult a skilled Fort Worth child custody lawyer for guidance and representation. 

Reasons for Supervised Visitation in Texas

The goal of the Texas court when reviewing a child custody agreement is to ensure that the agreement is set up to provide the best interest of the child. There are many different reasons that the court might determine that supervised visitation of children is necessary for a non-custodial parent. These may include, but are not limited to:

• Child abuse or neglect
• A history of domestic violence
• Risk of kidnapping
• A history of substance abuse 
• A criminal history
• The wishes of the child

There are instances when supervised visitation is also intended to help reestablish a parent-child relationship with the goal of moving toward an unsupervised visitation schedule. Reviewing the supervised visitation requirements of a child custody agreement will require filing a motion with the court, providing evidence to support your motion, and allowing the court to come to a decision. It is advisable to work with a skilled child custody attorney throughout this process.

How Supervised Visitation Works in Texas

Once supervised visitation is set up, a typical schedule might involve the non-custodial parent arriving at a designated third-party location. Often, the non-custodial parent will be asked to sign a document upon arriving that shows they acknowledge they are under visitation rules set by the court. The visit might involve storytelling, playing games, reading books, or other engaging activities. During the visitation, the supervisor will pay attention to the behavior and interactions between the child and the non-custodial parent. They will take notes and keep a record. They can also intervene at any point if they feel it is in the best interest of the child to do so. 

After the visitation has ended, the supervisor will typically spend time speaking to the non-custodial parent and relaying their observations about the interactions during the visit in order to improve this quality time for future visits. 

Reach Out to Speak with a Fort Worth Child Custody Attorney Today

If you are struggling with supervised visitation or believe that your custody arrangement should be reevaluated, it is advisable to talk to an experienced child custody lawyer in Fort Worth as soon as possible. The team at MBH Fort Worth Family Law is dedicated to working with our clients who are dealing with supervised visitation within their custody agreements. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us online today to schedule a free initial consultation or call us at 817-476-7964. We are here and ready to help.

Constance Mims

Constance Mims has over fifteen years of experience practicing exclusively family law. Mrs. Mims is Board Certified in Family Law, by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She is Collaborative Law certified and is a shrewd negotiator, not to mention her experience in the most challenging child custody, child support, spousal maintenance, alimony, prenuptial agreements, and divorce issues, both in court and in the appellate arena.

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