FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Some important frequently asked questions to assist you into making a more informed decision in selecting Peace Of Mind as your service provider.
What is a supervised contact visit?
Supervised contact is the situation where the non-resident parent (the parent with whom the child does not live) or significant other family member has contact with the child /children under the supervision of another person. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure the child’s best interests are protected whilst on a contact visitation with the parent or other person. This may be court ordered or by parent agreement. Peace of Mind is an independent third party whose supervisors are trained and skilled professionals.
What does the supervisor do?
The supervisor is there to ensure that both parties are safe and having the best possible contact time, they monitor the contact to ensure boundaries are not crossed. Supervisors can provide a handover between the child’s parent/carer and are with the parent and child during the entire contact time.
The supervisor will take notes as per the requirements of courts and Peace of Mind contact service, these notes may be used in court or to raise awareness of any concerns. The supervisor is not employed by Child Protection or Child Safety services however may at times need to liaise with them. The supervisor is not there to parent the children in anyway.
What is a supervised changeover?
This is where the provision of a supervisor is arranged for a positive hand over and hand back of the child /children between parents or another person due to a conflict situation.
Do you have a waiting list?
Peace Of Mind does not have a waiting list. It is solely dependent upon the completion of the straightforward consult process and the availability of a trained contact supervisor.
Where does the contact visitation occur?
The location is determined in accordance with court orders (if applicable), the child’s needs, safety and Occupational Health and Safety issues & parent agreement. Peace of Mind highly recommends that the venue is child friendly & developmentally appropriate.
Will my child / children be safe?
Peace of Mind during the consult process will require a concise background history to identify any specific issues which may affect the child. If you are concerned about your child’s safety during the contact visits please inform us at the consult stage before any contact visit occurs.
The trained supervisor is aware of all the safety measures that may be needed and will enforce when necessary. The supervisor is in sight and hearing range of the child /children and parent at all times. The child’s toileting needs are the responsibility of the supervisor.
In the case of 2 children present at a contact visit both children must go to the toilet area irrespective if they need to go or not. No child is ever left with the parent.
Will my child / children be safe? Cont.
Peace of Mind child / adult ratio is an additional safeguard measure. The ratio is at the discretion of the supervisor.
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Please note, if Peace Of Mind determines the case to be of high risk another supervisor will be mandatory.
What will happen at a contact visit?
The Peace Of Mind supervisor’s aim is to facilitate a safe and happy supervised contact visit comprising of positive interactions between the parent and child /children in order to build upon their relationship. The supervisor is not there to parent the children or to force interactions between the children and parent/significant other. They will try to encourage interactions but not force the issue if making the child uncomfortable. The contact visit location should be a child friendly and age appropriate venue to encourage play and meeting of the child’s interests. The supervisor is an impartial third party. All observations / conversations on the contact visit will be documented in case notes. There is also an evaluative report that can be written at an additional charge and generally needs to be arranged at start of contact that can be purchased by either parent and used as evidence in court proceedings.
If the supervisor identifies any inappropriate behaviour from the parent/significant other he/she may caution or terminate the contact visit immediately without a refund.
Talking to your child about your feelings toward his/her other parent is NOT appropriate. Talking to your child about money worries is NOT appropriate. Talking to your child about any legal issues or court proceedings is NOT appropriate.
What should I tell my child about the supervised contact visit?
This is an important component to this process. Appear positive at all times. Talk to your child in plain simple words. Inform the child that they will be spending time with their parent / family member at the agreed location that is a safe and friendly place.
It is highly recommended if appropriate to take the child there prior to the contact visit for familiarisation. Tell the child the Peace Of Mind supervisor will be present at all times to keep them safe and supported.
A pre visit meeting with the supervisor can be arranged at a nominal cost or alternately the child can say hello to the supervisor on the phone when they call to confirm the supervised contact visit.
It is imperative your child knows who they are going to see, for how long, what they might do and who will be taking them to contact visits and from the contact visit who will take them home.
What will it cost?
The service fee(s) may be the responsibility of one or shared between both parents. This is dependent upon the court order or parent agreement.
An administration cost will be payable for any subpoenaed files;
Observation notes will not be available for either party / or lawyers unless the account is paid in full;
Cancellation of supervised contact within 48 hours or less, will incur a late cancellation fee (Mandatory); A medical needs to be supplied by residential parent if they are cancelling due to child/ren are sick.
Travel cost of supervised contact will be charged at a pro rata of an hour rate . Travel time and costs exceeding 40 minutes one way to supervised contact are to be negotiated.
How long will I need to be supervised?
Supervised contact is often short term as the parent / child relationship improves with this service. On some occasions supervision continues for an extended period. If supervised contact visits / changeovers have been court ordered these will continue until the court decides otherwise at the hearing.
Any questions or concerns regarding this matter must be addressed to your lawyer / solicitor for legal advice.
Are my personal details kept confidential?
Peace Of Mind respects and maintains the personal information such as addresses, phone numbers, school… of the child and families.
However, case information may be subpoenaed for court purposes.
Peace Of Mind ensures that records are kept safe and secure UNDER LOCK AND KEY.
Will the contact supervision be neutral?
The Peace Of Mind supervisor is impartial. Our focus is on the child... not the dispute of the parents or other family members.