Under Missouri law, supervised visitation is defined as, "visitation which takes place in the presence of a responsible adult appointed by the court for the protection of the child." This means if the Court finds that supervised visitation is warranted, it may appoint a neutral third-party, such as a child supervision/exchange provider of services, a social worker, or a family member to supervise the interactions between a parent and their child, if it is believed that such interaction poses a threat or danger to a child.
What are the factors that can trigger supervised visitation?
There are many factors which can cause the Court to order supervised visitation or restrict a parent's visitation including but not limited to:
Domestic violence
Child abuse
Sexual abuse
Substance and alcohol abuse
Neglect
Mental illness
Risk of child abduction
If you believe that child visitation supervision will be a factor in your case, you should discuss this issue with your family law attorney immediately. Child supervision services can reduce the negative impact of trauma and conflict upon a child. Supervised visits can be held in a neutral safe setting.