Standards For Supervised Visitation Practice

3.0 Supervised Visitation Providers

3.1 Purpose

This section is intended to identify what constitutes a "provider" and to require providers to know what supervised visitation is and is not and what providers can and cannot do.

3.2 Providers

Professional supervised visitation services must be provided by a qualified independent provider, by a free-standing agency, or by a subdivision or program of a larger agency. Qualifications and training of providers are described under sections 11 and 12 of this document.

3.3 Role of the Provider

1. Providers must offer supervised visitation services that are consistent with the training and capacity of their staff and program.
2. Providers must know and understand the scope of their services and the limitations of their role, and explain their role(s) to both clients and users of their services.

3.4 Neutrality

A provider must be neutral in providing supervised visitation service. See definition under section 2.0 of this document.

3.5 Conflict of Interest

Agency conflict of interest

1. When supervised visitation services are provided or operated by an agency whose primary function is not supervised visitation, the agency is responsible for ensuring that staff or persons providing supervised visitation are trained and qualified according to these standards.
2. When supervised visitation services are provided or operated by an agency whose primary function is not supervised visitation, the agency is responsible for ensuring that staff functions and roles remain clear and do not conflict with other interests when providing supervised visitation services.

Provider conflict of interest

Unless otherwise approved by the court, a provider must not be:

1. Financially dependent on the person being supervised or any of the other clients in that family;
2. An employee or employer of the person being supervised or any of the other clients in that family; or
3. In an intimate relationship or have a personal relationship with the person being supervised or any of the other clients in that family.

3.6 Program Services

All providers must:

Offer only those services for which they and their staff have adequate education, training, and experience;

1. Clearly describe, in writing, the nature of the services provided and disclose to the parents and referring sources details about the program services; and
2. Seek consultation concerning service and client issues that are outside the scope of the provider's education, training, or experience.