Positive Parenting time Program Overview
What is the purpose of supervised parenting time?
Supervised parenting time is effective when family court has concerns about the safety of the child due to parenting issues, such as domestic violence, prior abuse/neglect, substance use, and/or an absent parenting reentering a child’s life. Where supervised parenting time is not where any parent wants to see their child, it is a safe place where the parent can put the needs of the child first while increasing the parent-child bond the focus of supervised parenting time will be on healing and healthy interactions to increase a secure attachment between a parent and their child(ren). The goal is to get every family into normal family patterns where supervision is no longer needed.
Parenting Time Exchanges and/or Transfers
These exchanges/transfers take place under supervision of a trained paraprofessional. This is a resource necessary in cases that may include safety issues where a child is safe with either parent, but the parents may not be safe with each other. This program ensures that custodial and non-custodial do not interact. Positive Parenting Time staff will facilitate the exchange and provide written summary reports upon request.
Supervised Parenting Time
Supervised parenting time can take place in three environments according to the level of restrictions needed:
- In Office- highest level of restriction to have a controlled environment to ensure safety
- In Home- medium level of restrictions where the home is safe and parent has lower safety concerns and the home is a comforting place for the child
- In Community- lowest level of restriction where the parent and child(ran) can interact in a public place within their community
Within the supervised parenting time program there are three levels of supervision:
Paraprofessional Supervision: when the family has a low level of safety concerns and may require little to no parent interventions. This level of service is to provide observation and documentation of the interactions. Paraprofessionals have training in bonding observation and positive parenting techniques.
Professional Supervision: when the family has a high level of safety concerns and require parent interventions. This level of service is to provide assessment, intervention, observation, and documentation of the interactions. Professionals have a bachelor’s degree in a human service program with additional training in bonding assessment/observation, mediation, and positive parenting techniques.
Therapeutic Supervised Parenting Time: when a family has issues that require clinical intervention from a master’s level therapist. Therapists will support the family in assessment, intervention, observation, and documentation of the interactions using a therapeutic treatment model focused on repairing the family relationships. This includes reunification therapy, addressing the relationship with an offending parent in cases of abuse/neglect, and/or addressing traumatic family experiences that affect trust/safety.
Parenting Assessment
At the beginning of services and at the request of the parent or family court a parenting assessment may be completed.
Assessment Includes:
- An interview with the adults and children being assessed
- Completion of formal assessments such as Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, Alabama Parenting Questionnaire, Parenting Attachment Style, Trauma Screening Tools, or Substance use Screening. All assessments will be determined by case history and needs
- Observation of the parents' relationship with the children noting any needs or challenges
- Tour of the proposed home noting any environmental concerns as requested
- Review of other information sources to verify family's reported history (i.e. previous DCS history, social supports, medical providers, etc..)
Co-Parent Coaching
Do you want to needs coaching in how to co-parent in the most effective way?
Our parent coaches can help you assess your co-parenting strengths and areas of conflict and create a co-parenting plan that is effective and healthy for the child. It is our belief that both homes do not have to function the exact same way for it to be healthy, each parent's acceptance and support of the other other parent's home is the key to success.
We can help each parent assess their parenting skills, with formal assessments and observation, providing them with a plan they can share with the other parent. Parent coaches can supports how to help parents deal with their child's emotions and reactions to things happening in the other home through supportive parenting skills without causing conflict between parents.
High Conflict co-parenting may require a master level clinician's support through family counseling.