Choosing a Santa Monica Visitation Monitor
Knowing you and your child will benefit from the services of a visitation monitor is one thing. Finding a visitation monitor that will best serve each person’s needs is often the more complicated part of the process. There are some things you can do to simplify the process.
Ask for Referrals
By this point, it’s likely you’re already working with a lawyer and some social service workers. Don’t be afraid to ask them to recommend the names of visitation monitors they’ve worked with in the past. Doing this not only gives you a starting point, but also streamlines your search. The professional providing the name already knows you, has a solid understanding of both your child and the unique situation you’re dealing with, and will limit their recommendations to Santa Monica visitation monitors who will be the best suited to handle the job.
Ideally, you should collect the names of 4 or 5 Santa Monica visitation monitors.
Check the Qualifications
The Santa Monica visitation monitor serves a very important function, they put your child at ease, helping them become more comfortable with their non-custodial parent. Working with someone who isn’t up for the job, or who isn’t properly qualified, can have disastrous results. If the presence of the visitation monitor was court ordered, using one that’s improperly accredited can cost you you’re already limited visitation time.
Before hiring the services of a visitation monitor, make sure they’ve gone through an intensive training program and that they’re licensed to work within the State of California. The fact that the visitation monitor is fully trained and certified to work in Santa Monica means they’ve:
- Watched training videos
- Have a detailed understanding of the different stages of child development
- Know how prepare both reports and declarations that the court will use when considering making a change to a parent’s visitation rights
- Are familiar with California’s codes and standards
- Know how to use different visitation techniques to put all parties at ease
- Can handle subpoenas
- Have participated in role playing scenarios
To meet the State of California’s requirements, the visitation monitor must be at least 21 years old and able to pass a thorough background check.
What to Check
Before your child and the visitation monitor meet for the first time, you want to make sure that they really are the best person for the job. Contact the one that seems like the best fit for your situation and request:
- A written breakdown of the fees they charge for each visitation
- Proof of their certifications and training
- Written recommendations
- Their proof of insurance
- Parental guideline
- Parental privacy policy
- A copy of the service agreement that they use
If upon receiving this information, you feel they’re the best Santa Monica visitation monitor for you, it’s time for you to interview them. This person plays an important role in your child’s life so you don’t want to rush this phase.
When you interview the visitation monitor, you don’t want to merely pay attention to the answers they give to your questions, you want to gauge their personality and get a feel for how they’ll interact with your child. Things to pay attention to include:
- Whether they possess a naturally observant and intuitive behavior
- If they present you with a clear, well thought out plant to keep the visitations as safe and comfortable for your child as possible
- How well they listen
- If they seem to have a positive and empathetic attitude to your child’s situation
- If they’re capable of handling the number of children who will be present at the visitation
- How respectful they are
- The amount of experience they have with children that are at a similar stage of development as yours and that have gone through a similar custodial situation
Don’t Put It Off
You want to start your search for a Santa Monica visitation monitor as soon as you know you’ll require their services. It takes a little time to track down and interview a visitation monitor and during that time, your child’s life remains in a state of turmoil. Whether you’re using a visitation monitor because you feel that it will help your child get to know you better after a long period of separation or because their services are the result of a court order, the sooner you select a good one, the better it will be for your child.