Supervised Visitation and Exchange Program (SVP)
Our Mission:
Our mission within the Supervised Visitation and Exchange Program is to foster healthy parent/child interactions during supervised visitation and exchanges, while respectfully addressing the diverse needs of families in a safe and supportive environment.
Description:
Families referred to the Supervised Visitation Program are offered weekly supportive, child-focused visits in a friendly, homelike environment, which balances the need for safety and security with the need for quality time between parents and their children. We provide three different methods of visit supervision, which include, continuous monitoring in room, continuous monitoring outside of the room and intermittent monitoring.
In addition, families requiring Supervised Exchange services are offered a safe setting for the transition of children between parents, where parents have no contact with one another.
SVP services can be flexible and tailored to the needs of the child(ren) and their families. Our Visitation Specialists have expertise in:
- High Conflict Custody
- Conflict Resolution and Mediation
- Systems Collaboration
- Community Resources
- Parent Education
- Safety Planning
- Child Welfare/Foster Care
- Trauma Symptoms in Children
- Specialized Experience in Parent-Child Relationships
- Visit Coaching
SPCC’s Supervised Visitation & Exchange Program Referral Options:
For those families within the child welfare system (children in foster care or with a relative, under the supervision of Monroe County Department of Human Services). Referrals may be made through MCDHS caseworker
Families referred through Family Court, DV Court or IDV Court wherein one parent/caregiver has been ordered to have supervised contact. Referrals may be made by a Judge/Referee to one or both options:
- Grant-funded services. Please note that at times there may be a waitlist for this option
- Private pay
SVP Frequently Asked Questions
How long will SVP work with families?
It truly depends on the needs of the family and the status in Court. Sometimes we work with children in foster care/relative resource and their families until permanency is achieved, which may be several months to over a year. For families that are referred through the Courts, we will provide services for six months, at which time we ask the Court to review the case and if deemed necessary the Court may refer the family for continued services through SPCC.
Will SVP Visitation Specialists send reports to Court?
Yes. We communicate with the Court regularly through all of our referral sources.
Who determines the method of visit supervision?
The Court determines the method of supervision, though our Visitation Specialists have the discretion to increase a method of supervision if a parent or child is in need of additional support or if there is a concern for safety.
Internship Opportunities
Interested in finding out what an intern can expect from a placement in SVP? Click on the link to find a full description of the program, a detailed list of what to expect & a list of qualities that the program is looking for in an intern.
Community Partners
Parents as Teachers
Willow Domestic Violence Center
Each year, Willow Center provides services to over 7,500 clients and reaches another 12,000 through prevention education in the Greater Rochester area.
Rochester Monroe County Domestic Violence Consortium
Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)
Legal Aid Society of Rochester, NY
Program Success Stories
Linda is a mother of one, who had endured years of physical and psychological abuse by her husband. After making the courageous decision to leave and obtain an Order of Protection, she was in need of a safe and supportive environment in which her daughter could visit her father…