Supervised Visitation Monitoring refers to contact between a non-custodial parent and one or more children in the presence of a third-party responsible for observing the interactions and ensuring the safety of those involved.  “Monitored Visitation” and “Supervised Child Contact” are other terms that have the same meaning.

Supervised visitation gives children a safe, low-stress way to spend time with a non-custodial parent during difficult family transitions. The goal is to keep kids out of the middle of conflict while helping them maintain healthy relationships.

For Children

They get to enjoy time with both parents without worrying about arguments or tension, and they can count on visits happening in a calm, comfortable setting.

For Custodial Parents

There’s no need to communicate directly with the other parent, which can reduce stress or fear. You can feel confident your child is safe and also get some time to yourself.

For Non-Custodial Parents

Visits can continue even when there are conflicts or concerns. Having a neutral supervisor present can also protect against misunderstandings or false accusations.

When Supervision Is Used

Courts may order supervised visits after a separation if it’s considered the safest option for the child.

For children placed out of the home due to safety concerns, CPS often oversees supervised visits to help maintain the parent-child relationship, sometimes partnering with outside programs like Northstar Family Connections when needed.

Only the parent and child or children that are listed on the referral given to us by the Department of Family Services, if the case has been referred to us through DFS, or as listed in court documents you receive during child custody hearings, if you are seeking monitored visitation services as part of a civil child custody case. 

Any additional visitors must be approved by the DFS Caseworker or a Judge in civil child custody cases. 

Have fun and enjoy time with your child(ren).

Northstar Family Connections has a toy library for you to choose what activities or toys you would like to use during your time with your child. You are also expected to show that you can engage in playtime and activities as well as parent and discipline your children without using physical discipline.  

Our staff will always go over the specifics of your case and inform you of what is or is not allowed to bring or do during your visit. 

Start by checking your court order to see what type of supervision is required, and make sure the Northstar can meet those conditions. We often have limited time slots available, so some flexibility may be needed. Keeping your child’s needs at the center helps everything go more smoothly.

If you’re the non-custodial parent, refusing to work with the available schedule can look like a lack of interest and may affect your contact. If you’re the custodial parent, being inflexible can appear as blocking access and can even influence custody decisions. Thinking about the situation from your child’s point of view usually makes it easier.

If your case is referred by CPS/DFS, supervised visitation is required to meet your case plan and show progress toward reunification, so attending as scheduled is especially important.

When you contact the visitation provider, remember they’re there to guide and support you. Try not to direct frustration at them—they’re simply helping make a difficult situation as manageable as possible.

All of our visitations will start in our main office or an outlying office setting. We do allow home and community visits on a case-by-case basis with approval from our supervisor, the social worker, and/or the judge.