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Introduction
When parents separate or divorce, visits with the children may be a problem.
Parents may prefer, or the court may order, that the childrens' visits are mediated by a neutral third party.
In other situations, exchanges or visits are problematic, and supervision of the exchanges may be preferred (or court ordered) to allow for a safer, less conflictual experience for the children and their parents.
The supervised access program provides a safe, neutral, and child-focused setting for children to visit with their non-custodial parent. All visits and exchanges take place under the supervision of trained staff and volunteers.
The volunteers’ job is to ensure that the visit is safe. Volunteers stay close to the visit to listen to what is said, and they will intervene when needed, for example, when comments are made that appear to make the child feel uncomfortable. The volunteers observe the visit and record their observations. The volunteers do not assess parenting abilities, nor do they provide parenting support. Staff are on site to support the volunteers and families. Staff are responsible to ensure that Program guidelines are followed.
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General Program Information
Languages
Supervised visits or exchanges are available in English or in French. We will endeavour to provide volunteers who speak other languages, according to need.
Locations
Visits take place in two Ottawa community centres: on weekends at the Heron Road Community Centre on Heron Road, and on Wednesday evenings at the Parent Resource Centre in Sandy Hill.
Hours of Service
Visits are offered on Saturday (daytime), Wednesday evenings (6:00 – 8:00 pm), and Sunday afternoons (1:30 – 3:30 pm). The coordinator is available at our offices at 312 Parkdale Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.
Costs/Fees
Supervised visits cost $20 per visit for a participant in full time employment, $5 for those unemployed. Supervised exchanges cost $15 per exchange for a participant in full time employment, $5 for those unemployed.
How do I apply?
Each parent and their lawyers (if applicable) must complete an application form and send it in to our office. After we have received completed application forms from both parents, our coordinator will set up an interview with each parent separately to discuss the program, review the program guidelines and determine whether it could be of benefit.
Orientation visits to the Supervised Access sites are made available to children and parents prior to the start of visits/exchanges.
Application Details:Application Form
- Complete the application form. Lawyers for both the access parent and the custodial parent must countersign application forms. Please note application form indicates NO STAFF OR VOLUNTEER shall be called upon to provide evidence for use in any proceeding. Completed observation notes are available upon request by either parent or their lawyer, at a fee of $75.00.
- Send completed application forms to Kevin Pickles, Supervised Access Program, Family Services Ottawa, 312 Parkdale Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1Y 4X5, or fax to (613) 725-5651.
A visit may be terminated at the discretion of the supervisor. Behaviour which may trigger a visit being discontinued might include overt abuse of a child; a child becoming upset to the point where it is no longer in the child's best interest to continue the visit; repeated late arrival or missed visits by the visiting parent; or harassment of the custodial parent. back to top
Volunteer
The Supervised Access program would not exist without the commitment and time given by volunteers from the community at large. Volunteers are carefully screened and trained. The volunteers stay close to hear comments, and will intervene if inappropriate comments are being made or questions are being asked that are making the child feel uncomfortable.
Time commitment
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2 to 4 hours every two weeks
- Visits take place on Wednesday evenings, Saturdays, and Sunday afternoons
Tasks
- Help ensure children's safety and comfort
- Observe visits, listen to the conversations, and intervene if required
- Write notes about what was observed
Skills Required
- Patience and compassion
- Ability to maintain a neutral point of view
- Ability to respect confidentiality
If you are interested in volunteering with the Supervised Access Program, please send your volunteer application to Kevin Pickles the Supervised Access Program Coordinator. back to top
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will I wait to start visits?
The program needs to receive the completed application forms from both parents in order to begin the intake process.
You can expect a call to schedule an intake interview within two weeks of both completed application forms being received. After the intake interviews, visits can start as soon as there is an opening on the day and time that works for your family. The waiting time depends on the number of families waiting for service, and on your family’s ability to be flexible about visit days and times.
When are visits possible?
A 2 hour visit every second week can be scheduled for Wednesday evening, Saturday during the day or Sunday afternoon.
When are exchanges possible?
Weekend exchanges can be arranged from Friday evening to either Saturday or Sunday afternoon, or from Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon; one day exchanges can be arranged on Saturdays.
Where do visits and exchanges take place?
Visits are held on weekends at 1480 Heron Road, and on Wednesday evenings at 300 Goulburn Private in Sandy Hill. Friday exchanges occur at 312 Parkdale Avenue.
How much supervision is offered?
There is one trained volunteer to supervise each visit. Up to 5 families may visit for each two hour period. At all times, two experienced staff are on site to provide support and advice.
What is your complaint policy?
Please address complaints to: Christina Marchant, Director of Community Programs, Family Services à la famille Ottawa, 312 Parkdale Avenue, Ottawa, ON, K1Y 4X5.
When would visits be terminated?
The program coordinator or on-site staff may terminate a visit if they observe abuse of a child during a visit, if a child becomes upset to the point where it is no longer in the best interests of the child to continue the visit, if there is repeated late arrival or missed visits by the access parent, or there is harassment of either parent at the point of exchange. As the Program staff are not mandated to assess the parent-child relationship, we cannot recommend alternative arrangements. It is therefore up to the parent, their lawyers, or the The Court to propose alternatives to continued supervised access or exchange.
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For further information about the Supervised Access Program contact Kevin Pickles at 613-725-3601 ext. 175 or by email at supacc@familyservicesottawa.org
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