Supervised visits may be appropriate in cases where, for example, there are concerns about the safety of a child and/or the child’s parent; the non-custodial parent has a drug or alcohol problem or a psychiatric disability; there has been a lengthy separation between the non-custodial parent and the child; or there is a risk of abduction.
Supervised exchanges may be appropriate in different types of situations. In separated families where there is a great deal of unresolved conflict between the parents, a neutral place to exchange the children for visits makes access easier to arrange and reduces the tension for the child. In some cases, it is important to ascertain whether or not the parent who is visiting with the child is under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the exchange. In other cases, the safety of one of the parties at the time of the exchange may be a concern.