Supervised and supported meetings
A child has the right to both parents. Supervised and supported meetings enable a child and their non-resident parent to meet in a safe and supported environment when this is not possible in the parent living separately from them.
Supervised and supported meetings supports the development and deepening of the relationship between the child and the parent. The main part of the meetings is the time and activities that the child and parent spend together.
The employee is a safe adult who cares for the child’s best interests. The meetings are arranged in agreement with the child, family and the cooperation network, taking into account the child’s perspective in particular. Reasons for using the meeting place include, for example, conflicting relationships and lack of trust between the parents, substance abuse and mental health problems, disputes over visitation and custody, experienced violence or the threat of violence or abduction.
Supervised and supported meetings organizes meetings between children living with their biological parent as well as children in foster care and their biological parents. The meeting place also serves as an impartial and safe place for exchange and meeting when a child moves from one parent to another.
Supervised and supported meetings are nationwide service. Over 1,000 children meet their parents or other relatives at the meeting places of the member associations of the Finnish Association of First and Shelter Homes every year.
Supervised and supported meetings
Meetings are carried out under the terms and conditions specified in the decision or agreement on meetings or supervised exchange, and the prerequisite for implementing meetings is that all parties accept the rules and operating principles of the meeting place. New meetings can be started within approximately 2-4 weeks of the first contact, depending on the booking status of the meeting place.
Supervised meetings
In a supervised meetings, the employee is present at all times, sees and hears everything. Supervised meetings help prevent the threats that led to the meeting being supervised. The need for supervision is always determined by the authorities. A supervised visit can last 1-3 hours. The employee can interrupt the visit if the child’s best interests so require.
Supervised visits are arranged on weekdays.
Supported meetings
In a supported meeting, the employee is responsible for the start and end of the meeting and is available throughout the meeting if necessary. The need for support is based on the authority’s determination and is used to ensure that the meeting proceeds in accordance with the child’s best interests and agreement. The length of a supported meeting can range from one hour to over 24 hours.
Supervised exchange
The goal of supervised exchange is to ensure that the child can safely move to the other parent. The exchange is carried out in accordance with the visitation agreement. The employee calms the exchange situation so that the child does not get caught up in the parents’ conflicts. The exchange can also be carried out so that the parents do not meet each other during the exchange situation.
National quality criteria
The Lapland Mother and child home and Shelter Home Supervised and supported meetings complies with the following national quality criteria based on the joint development work of the member associations of the Federation of Mother and child homes and Shelter Homes Association:
- The child’s right to maintain a relationship with both parents is implemented safely.
- The child is protected from conflicts between his or her parents during the meeting.
- Parents receive support in implementing cooperative parenting
- The meetings are based on decisions made and agreements confirmed by the authorities.
- Special attention is paid to the safety of children and adults in the operations.
- The child, the person meeting and the immediate parent are taken into account in the meetings
- The operations are systematic, goal-oriented and are evaluated and documented.
- The employees of the meeting point have training in accordance with the Act on the Qualification Requirements for Professional Personnel in Social Welfare.