The Rose Garden
Family Support Centre

Tel: 613.345.6007
Toll Free: 1.877.417.6007

 

 

A Guide To Supervised Access

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What is Supervised Access?

When parents are living separately visits with children may be a problem.  Difficulties sometimes arise between the parents at the time the children are exchanged.  At other times, there may be concern about the visits themselves.

Supervised Access Services offer separated or divorced families a way to cope with some of these problems.  Children and their families involved in custody and access disputes can utilize safe, neutral and child-focused settings where visits and exchanges can take place under the supervision of trained staff and volunteers.

Children, their parents and/or family members can preserve or reconstruct caring relationships through the use of services.

Types of Services

Supervised Visitation and Supervised Exchanges

Drop-off / Pick-up Services
When Are Supervised Exchanges Appropriate?

Supervised exchanges may be appropriate in a number of different situations.

In separated families, where there is a great deal of conflict between the parents, a neutral place to exchange the children for visits makes access easier and reduces the child's tension.  Parents do not have to be in contact with one another at the time of exchange and, therefore, do not have to be concerned with personal safety issues.

The staff records the parents' arrival times and, if a parent is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the visit may be terminated to ensure the child's safety.

The Drop-off / pick-up service provides supervision only at the time the child is exchanged. Parents are required to provide their own transportation to and from the access sites.

Full Supervision Visits
When Might Supervised Visits Occur?

The on-site full supervision services are an extension of the drop-off / pick-up service, as parents are able to use the site for actual visits.  There are number of reasons why supervised visits may be appropriate.  In some cases there are concerns about the child's safety and/or custodial parent.  At times, allegations that the non-custodial parent has a substance abuse problem (alcohol or drug), or limited parenting skills may be a concern.

In yet other cases, a lengthly separation between the parent and the child, or fear that the child may be abducted, can be reasons where supervised accesss may be appropriate.  The custodial parent has the security of knowing that the entire visit is observed and recorded by a trained third party.

How Can I Start To Use This Service?

Before using the service, each adult participant must complete an Intake Interview and agree to follow our policies and procedures.  If the court orders you to use Supervised Access Services, you need to contact our office immediately and set up up an initial interview.

The court will not contact us.  It will be your responsibility.  In order to initiate the Intake Process and, If you have a lawyer, please request all necessary documentation to sent to our office as soon as possible.  Once you have made contact with us we will discuss your situation.  Contact information such as your telephone number and address is essential for our records.

We will set up an appointment for intake so that the service can be explained and the necessary forms completed.

After your initial contact with our Agency, please be aware that it may take several weeks for access to begin.  If spaces are not available, a longer wait may result and your name is placed on a waiting list.

NOTE:

• All visits or exchanges are prearranged by our Agency.
• Intakes must occur prior to any visit or exchange taking place.
• It is not our responsibility to enforce court orders, nor are we subject
  to dates and times placed in a court order.
• The dates and times reserved by this agency are at our discretion.
  
  

What Will I Need To Bring For My Interview?

Your initial interview is a time to discuss your situation with the supervisor of the service. This gives you the opportunity to discuss your access needs and concerns, while offering your child/ren a chance to visit the access location. It also gives the supervisor the chance to tell you more about the service, outline policies and procedures and discuss the terms of the access visits.

You will be required to complete an emergency medical form, indicating who we would contact in case of an emergency; a disclosure form, giving us authority to discuss your situation with your lawyer; and a service contract, indicating that you agree to follow the policies and procedures of the Service. A confidentiality form to insure confidentiality of other families and a cancellation fee agreement. The Ministry requires we charge a nominal fee for this service. Please refer to Cancellation Agreement.

Be prepared to give us your current address and telephone number, or a contact number that we can use for messages. Bring any court orders that you have or documentation that you have received regarding the access visits.

As part of our safety policy, current photographs of the child/ren are requested for the file.  A tour of the visit location will be given at the end of your interview.

• Custodial Parents:

  
  Bring court-ordered documents, peace bonds, restraining orders, probation orders, a current picture of your child/ren, your child's health card number, doctor's name, and phone number.
  if not specified on the court order are, issues to be considered are:  who will provide clothing, diapers, car seats, snacks or meals.  If medication is required, you must give written consent to administer as required to your child.
  
  

• Non-Custodial Parents: (visiting person)
  
  Bring any court-ordered documents, peace bonds, restraining orders, your health card number, doctor's name and phone number.
  
  

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