FAQ

Do you have a question about our services or experience?  Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers.  We strive to include as much information as possible throughout the site, but if you have any additional inquiries, feel free to call or send an email with your request.  Please speak candidly with A Best Care Monitor about any clarification, any questions or concerns that you may have.

Q:  Why do people hire a supervised visitation monitor?
A:  There are many situations in which a parent would need supervised visitation, such as:

• domestic violence

• substance abuse

• sexual abuse

• emotional abuse

• physical abuse

• parental alienation syndrome

• flight risk

• when a parent tries to commit suicide

Some parents have none of these issues; they just need help with parenting and guidance. 

Q: What is a visitation monitor?
A: Visitation Monitor as defined in Penal Code Section 11165.7(a)(30) is: “Any person who, for financial compensation, acts as a monitor of a visit between a child and parent when the monitoring of that visit has been ordered by a court of law.” The rules for visitation monitors in California are further defined in California Rules of Court 5.20.

Q: Who pays for the supervised visitation?
A: The judge makes that decision based on the financial status of the parents and information given to them by the attorneys. In most cases the parent being supervised pays the monitoring fee. Sometimes the parents split the cost of the fee or even friends or family members pay the fee so the visiting parent can see their child.

Q: How is the payment made from the parent to the visitation monitor?
A: A cash payment with exact change is to be paid at the beginning of each visit. The monitor will give you a receipt.

Q: How long is each supervised visit?
A: The judge will determine how many hours a parent will get each week or every other week. There is a two-hour minimum visit required.

Q: What activities can I do with my children during a supervised visit?
A: We always adhere to any stipulations in the court order. We also want you to enjoy your visits and do activities that you usually do with your child. We supervise visits at parks, family homes, shopping malls, movies, and beaches for some examples. We do not supervise visits at any of the large amusement parks. The reason for this is that they are too large which makes it difficult to hear conversations between the parent and child. As well as to ensure that the child does not get lost or the parent flees with the child.

Q: Who pays for the activities?
A: The parent is responsible for all the expenses incurred during the visit for themselves, the child and the monitor. The parent is not responsible for paying for food for the monitor.

Q: Why are people supervised on visits to see their child?
A: If there has been domestic violence by either parent to each other and the child has witnessed it. Parents who have substance abuse problems be it alcohol, illegal drugs or prescription drugs. Parents sometimes suffer from mental illness or have tried to commit suicide. Some parents have allegations of physical or sexual abuse with the child. Some parents turn the child against the other parent, which is called Parental Alienation Syndrome. Some parents haven’t seen their child for a very long time, and the child doesn’t remember them and in this case the parents are supervised for reunification. Some parents don’t have the proper parenting skills and just need some training on how to care for their child.

Q: What is transportation of the child from the custodial parent to the unsupervised parent?
A: When the monitor picks up the child from the custodial parent, drives them to a prearranged location and drops off the child to the visiting parent. The parent visits the child without a monitor for a specific length of time or has overnight visits. When it is time for the child to be returned to the custodial parent, the monitor picks up the child and reverses the process. This is usually done when the parents are not communicating, or the parents don’t want to have contact with each other, or when a parent wants to conceal their residence, or when there is a restraining order.