When is Supervised Visitation Necessary in Florida’s Custody Cases?

Supervised visitation is when a non-custodial parent is only allowed to visit with the child when supervised by another individual, usually a family member or social worker.

Many people do not understand the difference between supervised visitation and supervised exchanges. Supervised exchanges are ordered by the court to prevent high-conflict interactions between the two parents. On the other hand, supervised visitation is included in the parenting plan.

While supervised visitation is rarely awarded in certain circumstances, its primary goal is to ensure the safety of the child.

But when is supervised visitation necessary when creating a parenting plan, also known as the child custody? If you are considering including supervised visitation in your custody schedule, consult with an Orlando child custody & timesharing attorney.

When is supervised visitation necessary?

A court order granting supervised visitation, also known as supervised time-sharing, is necessary when a parent has:

• Abused the child physically, emotionally, or sexually;
• Abused the other parent physically, emotionally, or sexually;
• An addiction or substance abuse problem;
• A mental illness that could endanger the child’s safety;
• Neglected the child in the past;
• Been absent from the child’s life for a significant amount of time; or
• Created potentially dangerous situations that endangered the child.

Also, a judge is likely to order supervised visitation when there is a risk of child abduction or kidnapping. In many cases, courts grant supervised visitation on a temporary basis.

If a supervised parent demonstrates good behavior during visits and meets specific requirements outlined in the custody order, they could eventually get unsupervised visitation.

For example, a court may order the non-custodial parent to complete an anger management class or attend drug rehabilitation to change the custody to unsupervised.

How does supervised visitation work?

Supervised visitation orders vary depending on what the judge finds appropriate. If the judge decides that supervised visitation would be in the child’s best interests, the parents will be informed of how the custody arrangement will work.

In most cases, supervised visits should take place at the parent’s home or a designated visitation facility. A monitor – or an individual assigned to supervise the visits – will be present in the room at all times.

The monitor may be the custodial parent, a family member, relative, friend, or a social worker. The designation of the monitor should be agreed upon by both parents. The designated monitor will remain with the child for the entire duration of the supervised visit.

How to include supervised visitation in my parenting plan?

If you think that supervised visitation may be necessary in your particular situation, speak with a skilled family lawyer to help you with putting supervised visitation in your parenting plan.

Keep in mind that courts in Florida presume that shared custody is best for the child unless one of the parties is found to be unfit to be a parent. A skilled custody & timesharing lawyer in Orlando can collect proof that the other parent is unfit to help you get sole custody of your child.

Schedule a consultation with our child custody and timesharing attorneys at Greater Orlando Family Law to discuss your case. Call 407-377-6399.