I just had a trial this week regarding supervised visitation at a visitation center where my client was requesting, which the court had allowed in the Temporary Orders and was waiting the ruling from the court regarding the Judgment, that the father was able to have visits at a visitation center. 

Generally, the court frowns upon having visits in a visitation center where in general, the parents are able to have parenting time without restrictions. If there are circumstances of the child’s safety, or possibility of neglect; even when visitation is to occur, it generally does occur with a third party present; such as a family member or friend and they might be able to supervise the visits.  In addition, there are options of having the visits at a public place such as a park or the galleria mall.

However, sometimes when parents either pose a significant threat; issues of sobriety; and they are not willing to abide by court orders, then allowing third parties to be present that the visits will be supervised. Generally, the supervised visitation centers are something that the party having the visits paid for.  There will be a supervisor at the center who will write a report and make recommendations about how the visits are going and what should occur in the future so that the visits are going well, that the visits may increase and become less structured.