Visitation is the legal right that non-custodial parents may be given if courts determine that they should have contact with their children but should not have physical custodial rights over them. In Virginia, there are several different types of visitation that parents may be granted or my fight for; while many parents receive reasonable unsupervised visitation with their kids, others may receive scheduled supervised time with their children.

Supervised visitation is visitation that happens in the presence of the third party adult. It is often the case that a parent will find themselves with a supervised visitation schedule if allegations of abuse are lodged against them. This is particularly true if the claims of abuse are made regarding their treatment of their children.

When courts establish child custody and visitation plans they look to protect and promote the best interests of the children they serve. To this end, a parent who has or potentially has caused their child harm may not be well suited to be alone with that youth. While fostering the parent-child relationship may be in the child’s best interest, their contact may need to be done in a setting where the child has adult support.

Any form of visitation that a parent is able to share with their child is important and an important component of protecting their important relationship. As conditions and relationships change, parents with supervised visitation may be able to modify their custody and visitation plans by requesting their courts to review them. This may be done with the help of dedicated family law attorneys who can give readers advice that is specific to their individual needs.