Our Services
01.
Supervised access provides a safe setting that allows children to develop a healthy relationship with the visiting parent and reduces conflict between coparents.
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As a parent, being ordered supervised visitation can bring up feelings of shame, guilt, and inadequacy. It can feel strange or unfair to spend time in an unknown space while trying to rebuilt the relationship with your kiddo. Our supervisors and facilitators work hard to make visits comfortable and positive, while ensuring the safety and support of both you and your child. Supervised visits are a structured support system that provides time for trust to develop between parents and children and allows for continued and consistent contact.
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Our procedures and participation agreements from the initial intake to the final visit are designed to support every family member and eliminate risk.
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What is Supervised Access?
Supervised access is designed to maintain the contact between a child and a parent when there are concerns for the emotional or physical well-being of a child. The parenting time occurs in the presence of a third person who is responsible for observing the interaction of the participants and ensures the safety of those involved.
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Most families who participate in visitation programs have been ordered by the court to do so. Typically, the Courts will order supervised access based on issues of protection and safety.
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Our visitation program is designed to maintain the contact between a child and parent during the court process and the time when a parent is working on identified issues. A court may also order these services when contact is being reestablished after a prolonged absence; allowing both child and parent to become reacquainted in an environment that is comfortable for the child.
How often can a parent visit with their child?
The Court’s order will specify how often a parent can visit with a child.
Please see Recommendations for Supervised Visits for age appropriate visiting schedules.
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KIDS Services facilitates visits from 12:30 pm to 7:30 pm, Monday through Friday and 10:00 am to 7:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday (based on current visitation schedules), including most holidays. Every effort is given to accommodate previously agreed on visitation times, however, due to constraints on the facility and number of facilitators, parties may have to be open to changes in the schedule.
How can Supervised Access help?
Many benefits are possible. Supervised access provides a safe setting that allows children to develop or renew a healthy relationship with the visiting parent. It can reduce conflict and make sure no one will be hurt or unfairly blamed for trying to do harm. It can offer an opportunity to reinforce good parenting skills. It provides time for trust to develop between parents and children. During long court processes, it can allow for continued contact between parents and children.
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The procedures and ground rules from the initial intake to the final visit are designed to support every family member and eliminate risk.
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What are the benefits?
For the child
It allows the child to maintain a relationship with both parents. They can anticipate the visits without the stress of worrying about what is going to happen, and enjoy their time in a safe, comfortable environment without being put in the middle of their parents’ conflict and/or other problems.
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For the visiting parent
Adult participants may have ambivalent feelings or frustration over program procedures. We understand visiting with a child in the presence of a third party can be uncomfortable at first. Most children and parents quickly adjust to the situation. If there are allegations against them, they can visit without fear of any new accusations because there is someone present who can verify what happened during their time together.
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For the custodial parent
Visitation arrangements are made by the center, so you don’t have any contact before, during or after the visit with your coparent. In the safe atmosphere provided by the program, you can allow your child to have contact with the other parent without worry.
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For all parties
It is important parents remain flexible. Remember, this is about your children and their needs. It requires flexibility, patience, and commitment to your child.
02.
Are you unable to exchange your child for visitation without arguing, yelling, or fighting with the other parent? Are the exchanges stressful? Do you have to use the parking lot at the local police station?
If your exchanges are stressful for you, imagine the stress your child feels. No matter how young or old, your child feels your pain, your tension, and your nervousness. No parent wants to knowingly put their child through this.
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If you do not look forward to seeing your child's other parent, if you want peace and calm for you and your child, then consider Monitored Exchanges. The purpose is to ensure that a child can transfer between two parents without being put in the middle of their parent's conflicts or other problems. Supervision is limited only to the exchange or transfer with the remainder of the parent/child contact remaining unsupervised.
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Caution is taken to assure that the two parents or other individuals exchanging the child do not come in contact with one another. The exchanges take place at staggered pick-up and drop-off times arranged so that the parents do not have to be in contact with one another.
03.
Therapeutic Supervised Visitation (TSV) is similar to a traditional monitored supervised visit between parent and child except that a therapist is involved in supervising and guiding the visit.
TSV provides structured, interactive guidance on the parent-child interaction, with a focus on positive parenting education and skills, the attachment between parent and child, and behavioral management.
TSV is non-confidential. Therapist-patient privilege does not apply.
Goals of Therapeutic Supervised Visitation
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To provide a protected visitation and a therapeutic intervention between children and the non-custodial parent so that the child benefits as much as possible from the contact.
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To assist children and their families in maintaining or re-establishing relationships that are healthy and safe for the child.
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To assist children in the transition to different family structures, while providing for the safety of the child.
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To provide custody evaluators and treatment professionals with supplemental information for visitation and treatment planning.
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To actively engage in assisting the non-custodial parent and child to re-engage in a relationship if it has been interrupted by the court process.
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All Kids Services providers of Therapeutic Supervised Visitations are Mental Health Professionals or Social Workers. Providers comply with the training and education requirements of Idaho Rules of Civil Procedures, AFCC and the Supervised Visitation Network's Standards of Supervised Visitation Practices and Code of Ethics.