SVN Standards

Standards For Supervised Visitation Practice

Standards in PDF Format

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Supervised Visitation Network (SVN)

The purposes of the Supervised Visitation Network are as found in the SVN by-laws.

1.2 Purpose of the Standards

This document establishes minimum practice standards for professional supervised visitation and exchange services. These standards are also intended to serve as a resource to courts, educators, funding sources, and others interested in this field of practice.

1.3 Historical Development of the SVN Standards

In 1994, SVN adopted a resolution to develop a draft document of Standards and Guidelines to be reviewed and accepted by the SVN general membership. The document was intended to serve as a best practice resource for professionals operating and administering child access/supervised visitation and exchange services. The current revision, effective December 10, 2022 is based on the SVN Standards document updated and approved by the general membership in July 2006. 

1.4 Philosophy of the Standards

Consistent with the mission and values of SVN, the general philosophy of the standards are:

1. Quality and flexibility of service

The standards are intended to be broad enough to be applicable to all supervised visitation providers operating and administering services and specific enough to ensure implementation of the core values of SVN.

2. Safety and well-being

The underlying premise of these standards is that the safety of all participants is a precondition of providing services. After safety, the well-being of the child is the paramount consideration at all stages and particularly in deciding the manner in which supervision is provided.

3. Evolving standards

The standards will be revised and updated periodically to reflect the evolving practice of supervised visitation services.

1.5 Applicability

The standards apply to SVN members who provide professional supervised visitation and exchange services. Membership in SVN explicitly implies agreement to follow the standards to the extent that they do not conflict with applicable law.

1.6 Adoption and Implementation

These standards were adopted by vote of the membership in December of 2022 but the effective date of implementation is December 10, 2022. SVN members agree to be in full compliance with the standards one year from the effective date of December 10, 2022. Additional sections of these standards are currently under review, and we anticipate further changes in the next 2 years.

Prepared by:
SVN Standards Task Force and the Standards Committee

Approved by:
SVN Board of Directors & General Membership - November 2024

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The SVN Standards and Guidelines Committee (S & G) co-chairs wishes to give thanks to the SVN Board of Directors for its support and direction in undertaking the project to revise and amend the SVN April 2006 Standards and Guidelines, to reflect up-to-date best practices. We also want to acknowledge those who worked on the 2006 Standards.