When Will the California Family Courts Order Supervised Visitation After a Divorce?

At the Land Legal Group, our Los Angeles family law attorneys know when parents get divorced in California, a child custody agreement and parenting plan are the priority. This is not only true to preserve the well-being of the children, but it is also the focus of the California family courts.

Our family courts do all they can to ensure the rights of both parents to have relationships with their children are preserved from the start — unless that relationship endangers the child’s welfare.

This, too, is an important investigation, as there must be significant proof that the children are in danger when they are with the other parent. This means one parent may not make false allegations about the other, simply to avoid sharing custody.

When it can be proven that one parent may place the children in danger, the family court may order supervised parenting time between the kids and the parent to ensure their safety.

What Factors Will the California Family Court Consider When Ordering Supervised Visitation?

All California family law judges will make custody decisions that serve the children’s best interests while allowing both parents to retain their parental rights, unless the child is not safe with one parent.

Factors that may lead to supervised visitation in California may include when one parent has:

• Alcohol or substance abuse issues.
• Anger management problems.
• Child abduction or kidnapping fears.
• Domestic violence conviction.
• Has recently been released from prison.
• History of child exploitation or sexual abuse.
• Mental health disorders.
• Neglected the children in the past.

If one parent does not have a relationship with the child, either because he did not know the child existed, or has been apart from the children for an extended time living in a different state or under other circumstances, supervised visitation may be ordered to ensure the relationship progresses safely.

Who Oversees Supervised Visitation and Parenting Time?

There are two types of visitation supervisors: Professional and Non-Professional.

A professional supervisor, also called a provider, is a person with special training that has passed a background check. They are also mandated reporters, which means that they must report suspected child abuse or other issues to the local child welfare department (CPS), and the courts.

A nonprofessional provider is usually a friend or family member who does not have special training but is present during the visitation to ensure the children are safe.

Whether the provider is a professional or non-professional, he or she must:

• Be present during each moment of the visit.
• Listen to what is being said between the supervised parent and the children.
• Pay close attention to the children’s behavior during their interactions.
• Report any suspected child abuse or other potential dangers.
• Feel comfortable interrupting or ending the visit if they have concerns.

If you believe your children must be supervised while with their other parent, our skilled Los Angeles family law attorneys will review your case and build a customized legal strategy to petition the court to keep your kids safe going forward.

Contact the Los Angeles Family Law Attorneys at the Land Legal Group Today

Contact our skilled divorce attorneys in Los Angeles at the Land Legal Group today to learn more about your legal rights and options to pursue a modification of your child custody, visitation, and parenting time agreements by calling (310) 552-3500 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your unique needs and to learn how we can help.