Frequently Asked Questions

We offer various services, including off-site visitation monitoring, overnight visitation monitoring, custody exchange monitoring, telephone & video visitation monitoring, visitation reports, and court appearances. Please see the home page for additional information. 

We understand that each family and custody arrangement is unique, and the needs of the families we serve can vary significantly. Therefore, our pricing structure is designed to be flexible and adaptable to accommodate these unique circumstances. For your free quote, contact us by submitting a contact form or call (408) 409-5465.

We provide services to the following areas:   

             Alameda County

             Santa Clara County

             Santa Cruz County

Supervised visitation is a structured and monitored process where a non-custodial parent spends time with their child under the supervision of a neutral third party or professional. It may be necessary in cases where there are safety concerns, unresolved conflicts, or court orders requiring supervision to ensure the child's well-being.

A Professional Monitor/Provider plays a pivotal role in the court-ordered visitation process by prioritizing the safety and well-being of the child. They serve as impartial observers, supervising visitation between the non-custodial parent and the child, ensuring that all interactions comply with visitation rules and court orders. These monitors maintain meticulous records of each session, intervening when necessary to address potential harm or conflicts and striving to create a nurturing environment for the child. Additionally, they help establish and confirm the visitation date, time, and location as per the Court order. Operating with a mandate to be neutral and to always protect the safety and welfare of the child or children on the visitation, they remain constantly within earshot and eyeshot of the Non-Custodial Parent and the child(ren). They also have control of the visitation and the authority to stop it at any time if they feel the children’s welfare is in question. In cases of emergencies, they have the authority to take appropriate action to ensure the child's safety. Overall, their role is essential in maintaining a secure and positive environment for supervised visitation while upholding the child's best interests.

Your relationship with a professional provider will be more of a business relationship in which services are performed for a fee. Before you begin supervised visits, the provider must meet with you in person and discuss specific topics about the visits with you. These topics include: 

• Terms of the visits 

• Method of payment 

• Safety procedures 

• Reasons for interrupting or ending a visit. 

You will also be asked to sign an agreement about these conditions. If you want to review the qualifications and guidelines the provider must follow, the provider will give you a copy of the Uniform Standards of Practice for Providers of Supervised Visitation. Prepare for the interview as you would prepare for a business interview. Make a list of questions for the provider and ensure you understand what services will be provided and what is expected of you. This will help you feel more comfortable during the visits and allow you to focus on your child.

Be sure to check the court order to see if it specifies the kind of supervision. Then, check with the provider to see that all conditions can be met. Due to the limited resources available in most communities for such services, you will probably have to be flexible. Some services are open for limited times, particularly in smaller communities. Remember, this is about your children and their needs. It may require some sacrifices on your part. Parenting is not always convenient, and we need to be sure that we do not let minor inconveniences interfere with our child's right to have time and attention from both parents.

 If you are the non-custodial parent, your unwillingness to arrange your schedule to fit the times available through the service may be interpreted as a lack of interest on our part, which can lead to termination of parental contact. If you are the custodial parent, your inflexibility may be seen as an effort to keep the child from the parent. This has been known to result in reversal of custody. You will probably not have any difficulty if you can truly think about it from your child's point of view instead of your own.

When you contact the service, remember that this is all new and perhaps a little uncomfortable for you. The provider is experienced and will guide you through the process and do everything they can to assure that your child's needs are met. Try not to displace your anger against the other parent, the system, or the unfairness of the situation onto them. They are not responsible for the fact that you are being asked to use the service. They are there to help and to do everything they can to make what may be to you a bad situation, as good for everything as possible.

Supervised visitation offers numerous benefits to children in various family situations. Firstly, it prioritizes the child's safety and well-being by providing a secure and structured environment, reducing potential harm and exposure to parental conflicts. It further allows children to maintain a meaningful relationship with the non-custodial parent, even when concerns about safety or parental conflict exist. Trained monitors offer emotional support and guidance, ensuring that the child's needs are met during visits, while their neutral presence provides a sense of security. By focusing on the child's best interests and upholding legal compliance, supervised visitation helps maintain a stable routine and minimizes stress while creating an opportunity for reconciliation in complex family dynamics. 

Supervised visitation can serve as both a short-term or long-term arrangement, depending on the specific circumstances and court orders in a given custody case. It is typically used temporarily to address immediate concerns about a child's safety or well-being during visits. However, in cases where ongoing supervision is deemed necessary to ensure the child's best interests, supervised visitation can be maintained as a long-term solution until the court or relevant authorities determine otherwise. The duration and necessity of supervised visitation depend on the unique needs and dynamics of each case, with the ultimate goal of safeguarding the child's welfare.

Encompassing Families LLC provides supervised visitation services that exclusively occur off-site. While the non-custodial parent has the freedom to choose a suitable visitation location, it's important to emphasize that this choice must be reasonable and gain approval from the professional monitor at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled visit. It's worth noting that, in certain instances, the court order may impose restrictions on where visits can occur, a factor parents should be mindful of when selecting the location. Additionally, when considering the visitation site, parents should take practical aspects, such as travel logistics to and from the designated place, into account to ensure it remains manageable and convenient for all parties involved. The confirmation and approval of the location by the professional monitor are pivotal in maintaining a safe and well-organized visitation process, adhering to court mandates, and upholding the child's welfare.