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Supervised visitation

Parenting time that must occur in the presence of an approved third party or agency, ordered when a court has safety concerns.

What supervised visitation means

Supervised visitation is parenting time that must take place in the presence of an approved third party, which may be a trusted individual or a professional supervised-visitation agency or center. Courts order it when they have concerns about a child's safety or wellbeing during unsupervised time, and it is often a temporary measure that can change as circumstances do.

Because supervision is tied to specific concerns, records around it tend to be significant. Documentation of how supervised visits go, and of the circumstances that led to or might change the arrangement, can matter a great deal to whether supervision continues, loosens, or ends.

Example: if supervised visits are consistently going well over several months, a factual record of that can support a request to relax the restriction; if concerns persist, dated documentation of specific incidents supports keeping it in place.

The grounds for supervised visitation and the process for modifying it vary by jurisdiction and are highly fact-specific, so work closely with your attorney rather than relying on general expectations.

Related terms

Protective order / No-contact order
A court order restricting contact to protect a person from harm or harassment. If one exists in your situation, follow it exactly and route questions through your attorney.
Parenting time / Visitation
The schedule of time a child spends with each parent under the order or plan. Deviations from it, late, missed, denied, are the most commonly documented custody events.
Best interests of the child
The standard family courts use for custody decisions. Factors differ by jurisdiction but commonly include each parent’s involvement, stability, cooperation, and the child’s needs and safety.

Keep reading: How to Document Custody Violations (So Your Record Holds Up), or return to the full glossary.

This definition is general information, not legal advice. Terms and their exact meanings vary by state, county, and case; for how this concept applies to your situation, consult a qualified family-law attorney.