Beyond Observation: Considerations for Advancing Domestic Violence Practice in Supervised Visitation - Promising Futures

This paper presents considerations for expanded practice in the Supervised Visitation Grant Program and describes interventions that go beyond observation in the supervised visitation setting. The Supervised Visitation Grant Program, established by the Violence Against Women Act of 2000, provides an opportunity for communities to support supervised visitation and exchange by and between parents in situations involving domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, or stalking. This initiative is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice. The information for this paper comes from a number of sources:

• Interviews with experts in the field;
• A review of the literature on supervised visitation;
• Observations of center operations; and
• Focus groups conducted with consumers, staff, judges, lawyers and key constituents of supervised visitation centers.

The intended audience includes the staff of visitation centers, clinicians, lawyers, judges, domestic violence advocates, and men’s non-violence programs.