Cherished Connections

Information Sheet on Report Writing Post-Supervised Contact Visits

admin — Tue, 09 May 2023 15:46:40 +0000

Introduction

In family law and children’s courts, supervised contact visits between children and their families are critical in ensuring the welfare and best interests of the child. Facilitators who oversee these visits are tasked with creating detailed reports that capture observations and interactions. These reports play a pivotal role in court decisions regarding ongoing visitations, custody, and care arrangements.

Purpose of Supervised Contact Visit Reports

1. Capturing Observations and Interactions:

Objective Observations: Reports document the behaviour, interactions, and emotional responses of both the child and the supervised parent during the visit. This includes noting any positive or negative behaviours, communication styles, and the overall environment.
Frequency and Consistency: Observations are made consistently over time to identify patterns in the parent-child relationship and assess the effectiveness of the supervised visits.

2. Importance in Decision-Making:

Court Decisions: Family and children’s courts rely on these reports to make informed decisions about the continuation, modification, or cessation of supervised visits. The reports help assess whether the interactions are beneficial or if there are concerns that need addressing.
Risk Assessment: The reports aid in evaluating any potential risks or safety concerns associated with unsupervised contact.

Contents of the Report

1. Observational Data:

Interaction Quality: Detailed accounts of how the child and supervised parent interact, including any notable changes over time.
Emotional and Behavioural Responses: Insights into the child’s emotional state and behavioural responses during and after the visit.

2. Contextual Information:

Visit Environment: Description of the setting and conditions in which the visit took place.
Facilitator’s Observations: Professional observations on the dynamics between the parent and child, including any concerns or commendable behaviour.

3. Recommendations:

Future Visitations: Recommendations for future visitations, which might include changes in frequency, duration, or conditions based on observed interactions.
Support Needs: Suggestions for additional support or interventions if required.

Stakeholder Communication

1. Resident Parent:

Information Sharing: The report provides insights into how the supervised parent interacts with the child, which can inform the resident parent about the child’s experience and progress.
Support Decisions: Helps the resident parent make informed decisions about the child’s needs and the effectiveness of the current contact arrangements.

2. Supervised Parent:

Feedback: Offers the supervised parent feedback on their interactions with the child and areas for improvement.
Legal Strategy: Assists in shaping the supervised parent’s approach to future visitations and interactions.

3. Legal Representatives:

Evidence Provision: Provides a detailed account of visitations that can be used as evidence in legal proceedings.
Strategy Development: Assists legal representatives in formulating strategies and arguments based on observed behaviours and interactions.

4. All Stakeholders:

Holistic View: Ensures that all parties involved in the child’s welfare have a comprehensive understanding of the visitation dynamics.
Decision-Making: Supports collaborative decision-making regarding the child’s best interests.

Subpoena and Access to Reports

1. Subpoena Process:

Family Law Court: Courts can subpoena these reports to review the observations and make decisions about visitation arrangements or custody matters.
Children’s Court: Similarly, the children’s court may request these reports to assess the child’s safety and well-being in cases involving out-of-home care.

2. Access and Requests:

By Children: Once they reach adulthood, individuals can request access to their reports, though this process may involve specific protocols to ensure privacy and appropriate redaction of sensitive information.
Archiving and Retrieval: Reports are archived by government bodies such as the Department of Communities and Justice in NSW or other relevant service providers. These organizations maintain records for future reference and accessibility.

Archiving and Access for Future Use

1. Government Archiving:

Department of Communities and Justice (NSW): Reports are archived and managed according to government regulations and policies, ensuring that records are preserved and accessible as needed.
Case Management Services: Other service providers involved in case management may also store and manage these reports.

2. Access by Adults:

Request Procedures: Formerly supervised children can request access to their reports once they are legally adults. This process involves submitting formal requests and following procedures to access their records.

Conclusion

Report writing following supervised contact visits is a critical component in the family law and child protection systems. These reports provide valuable insights into the interactions between children and their families, informing decisions that impact the child’s welfare. By maintaining thorough, objective, and detailed records, facilitators contribute to a transparent and informed decision-making process, ensuring the best outcomes for children.

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Tips to help fathers build stronger relationships with their children

admin — Tue, 09 May 2023 15:44:10 +0000

Coming up to Father’s Day we wanted to share some of our top tips to help fathers build stronger relationships with their kids.

You don’t need to be a full-time dad to be a great father and role model. It’s the times when you really engage with your children that will have the most influence on their development.

1. Put down any devices when your child is telling you about their day

We live in a very connected world when it comes to our devices and technology, but this can sometimes lead to the unfortunate event of possibly ignoring your child in lieu of your device. So why not try and go technology free when spending time with your children, even if you only spare a few minutes to begin with.

Five minutes of undivided attention is better than sixty minutes of divided attention. Children learn their worth by how their parents respond to them. Show your child how much they mean to you by choosing them over that email or phone call or text that, if you are honest, can probably wait.

2. Play with them

Play is a great way to not only bond with your children but it’s a great way for them to learn. Think about the best times you had as a kid, it was most likely spent playing outside with family or friends.

Spending time playing outside is great. ‘Rough and tumble play’ (i.e. having a tackle and wrestle) has been shown to not only build relationships between dads and their kids; it also increases the development of young brains!

If the weather doesn’t allow for outside play, playing video games alongside an older child can be a way to connect and relate as you have side-by-side conversations.

3. Make time for each child individually

Every child is different, and you can honor the differences in your children by making time to spend with each of them individually.

When you engage with and join your children in doing things that are important to them and things they like to do it shows them you are paying attention. This will illustrate how much you love and care for them as you are making note of what they like individually rather than just assuming they are the same as their siblings.

4. Read to or with them

Reading teaches children a vitally important skill and is also lots of fun! Have fun acting out the characters together.

Even when your kids are old enough to read for themselves, sitting together to read will help strengthen your relationship whilst also creating quality time.

5. Show your children affection

Show your children how much you love them; this not only shows kids that dads show affection and are in touch with their feelings; it also shows children that they are loveable!

Children learn how to act and respond by watching the adults around them and if you are willing to show affection to them, they will then feel open and able to show affection to you and to others.

6. Act like a dad, not a friend

It’s important that fathers understand how their behavior can influence their children. Acting like a big kid and having moments of joyful play is fine on occasion but you must keep the boundaries clear and remain the adult.

There is a time to act like a child and have some fun, but this needs to be done in moderation along with you acting like the adult and father. Remember that you are older and bigger – so you need to be kinder and wiser. Your child has the right to act like a child whenever they want; you don’t!

7. Remember its quality over quantity

Modern families are so diverse that you sometimes don’t get to spend that much time with your children but that doesn’t mean you can’t build a solid and close relationship. Focus on making the most of the time you do get to spend with them, and they will not only remember it for the rest of their lives but it will help build the foundation of a healthy relationship.

Now go and spend some time with your children or plan some fun activities for the next time you get to see your children.

The post Tips to help fathers build stronger relationships with their children first appeared on Cherished Connections.

locations that Cherished Connections can supervised

admin — Tue, 09 May 2023 15:42:15 +0000

Supervised visits are not the most natural thing you will do with your child, however, our friendly staff at CC are passionate about facilitating an enjoyable experience for everyone during these difficult times.

We suggest parents agree on several approved venues via their lawyers in advance to avoid disappointment and back and forth each time the weather changes or children get bored in one location.

All-Weather Venues

Parks with shelter and toilets are a great all-year-round visit location.

Some shopping centers are a good option as they have play areas, arcade game areas, plenty of food options, and some entertainment.

Parent’s home, where children can play, relax and maybe cook something together.

Kids venues like Chipmunks, Lolly Pops, Flip Out, Bowling, and McDonald’s are also good all-weather locations.

If you do desire to take your child somewhere special like Luna Park, Aquarium, Muzeum, Zoo, or a swimming pool, make sure you plan a week ahead and give us and the other parent a courtesy notice in writing as we and the other parent need to approve new locations. Check the weather and plan accordingly.

When choosing a venue, consider the age of your child and their interest. Ensure the venue is age-appropriate and your child will be comfortable there. Early teens may not like sitting at McDonald’s for two hours and toddlers can get overwhelmed at a busy shopping centre. Know your child’s likes and dislikes, ask them what they would like to do, and be prepared to make some suggestions along the way.

We will supervise at child-appropriate, safe venues, where a supervisor can easily see, hear and be close to the supervised parent. As long as both parents agree on the supervised visit locations we will also consider it and most likely agree to facilitate the visit there.

The post locations that Cherished Connections can supervised first appeared on Cherished Connections.