Frequently Asked Questions
Supervised contact is contact between children and the parent/whānau member they are not in the care of in the presence of a professional provider or another person approved by the Judge. It is ordered by the Court and continues until the Court decides otherwise. It is most often ordered where a parent has used violence, either towards the other parent or towards the children. There can be other reasons for supervised contact – such as risks to a child when having contact with a parent dealing with an addiction or mental health concerns. Supervised contact provides the opportunity for children to maintain or rebuild important relationships safely. The contact parent (the person whose contact with the child is being supervised) will need to apply to the Court for unsupervised contact, and the Court must be satisfied the child will be safe before allowing this. Contact can move to being unsupervised once the Court is satisfied it is safe to do so.
Yes. All Supervised contact providers will have rules that must be followed by the parents. Clear rules help keep everyone safe. The provider will tell you about the rules when you meet them for an initial assessment. The purpose of the rules is to keep the children as well as the adults concerned safe. They will cover things such as arrival and departure times for each parent, when contact will take place, how long the session will last, use of mobile phones or devices, topics of conversation that are not allowed, etc. You will have the opportunity to clarify these rules and expectations at the assessment. Once you have understood and agree with them, you will sign an agreement before the contact visits start.
In situations where the Court orders supervised contact by a professional Supervised Contact Provider, the cost of the sessions is usually subsidised by the Government. The number of sessions the Court pays for may vary on a case-by-case basis.
Sessions tend to go well when the child leads what happens during them, with the adult following their interests and keeping the focus on play rather than adult issues. If a child asks a difficult question, it is usually best to gently change the subject. Adults should avoid becoming overly emotional so that the child does not feel they need to manage the adult's emotions. A warm, brief goodbye and assurance by either parent that you will meet again soon helps children feel secure when it is time to change-over.
Most children settle into their new contact routine with few problems, though this can take time for some. It is important that contact is consistent for children to become familiar with the routine. Supervised Contact Providers are trained and skilled in keeping children safe and prioritising their needs. We understand that the day-to-day parent/caregiver and the contact parent/caregiver are both likely to feel anxious at the initial visits but should try not to show this to the children, before, during, or after the sessions. Children feel more confident when the adults around them seem confident about new arrangements. Children are usually aware of tension between the adults, even if it's unspoken, and may feel torn between them or confused about family relationships. It is important for both parents to reassure the children that they have nothing to worry about and that it is the responsibility of the adults to take care of adult matters. If either parent or caregiver has concerns, they should talk with the supervisor about them.
Professional Supervisors are trained not to take sides and to focus on the children and their best interests during visits. If a Supervisor has a conflict of interest, they are required to declare it. The Provider will change the Supervisor if this occurs, unless both parties agree to them continuing to supervise contact sessions.
If supervised contact has been ordered by the Court, the Provider organisation will report to the Family Court after a certain number of sessions. If the supervised contact is arranged by a government agency, the report will usually go to that agency. Parents and Caregivers will need to request the report from the Court. The supervised contact Provider may not be able to share information with you due to privacy and confidentiality reasons. The only exception to this general rule is if there is an issue relating to the children's safety during contact. In such instances the Supervised Contact Provider will make you aware of the incident or issue as soon as possible. They may also report the concern to another agency if required.