How to become a supervised visitation provider in Indiana

Indiana has published rules or programs that shape who supervises visits and how. This guide covers what Indiana law says, the standards that apply, your reporting duties, and where families and referrals come from.

What Indiana law says about supervised visitation

If a parent was convicted of domestic violence the child witnessed or heard, parenting time is presumed supervised for at least 1 and up to 2 years. (IC 31-17-2-8.3)

Read your court order closely in every case. It can name who may supervise, set conditions, and say who pays.

Standards and requirements for providers in Indiana

These published sources set or describe requirements for supervised visitation in Indiana:

DCS Service Standard: Supervised Parenting Time Staff qualifications for DCS child welfare contractors. It covers child welfare cases, not private custody cases.
Indiana presumes 1 to 2 years of supervised parenting time when a parent's domestic violence conviction involved violence the child witnessed or heard.
DCS contractors providing child welfare supervised parenting time must be at least 21 with a diploma or GED and a valid license.
In Indiana every individual, not only professionals, must report suspected child abuse or neglect.

Reporting child abuse in Indiana

Every individual with reason to believe a child is abused or neglected must report. (IC 31-33-5-1)

Know how to make a report in Indiana before your first visit, and explain your reporting duty to both parents at intake. Stopping a visit to keep a child safe always comes first.

Recording visits in Indiana

Indiana generally lets a person record a conversation they take part in (one party consent). (IC 35-31.5-2-176; IC 35-33.5-5-5)

Many providers don't record visits at all. If you do, get written consent from both parents at intake, and follow the court order.

Where families and referrals come from in Indiana

Most families look for a provider right after a judge orders supervised visits. Family law attorneys, mediators, court self help centers and state funded programs are the people they ask first.

Every state receives a federal Access and Visitation grant for services like supervised visitation, neutral exchanges and parenting plans. Where Indiana's program contracts with local providers, it can be a source of referrals or funded work.

Indiana Access and Visitation grant (Department of Child Services, Child Support Bureau) Funds mediation, parenting plans, parent education, supervised visitation and neutral exchange.
Indiana Judicial Branch Self-Service Legal Center Resources for people representing themselves.

Steps to start providing supervised visits in Indiana

Read the Indiana standards listed above and meet any training or screening they require.
Complete training in child safety, domestic violence awareness, neutral observation, report writing and ending a visit safely. The Supervised Visitation Network publishes practice standards many providers follow.
Get a background screening and liability insurance. Families, attorneys and some courts expect both even where Indiana law doesn't require them.
Set your rates, service area, visit locations and cancellation policy, and write a services agreement and intake form. Have a Indiana attorney review them.
Introduce yourself to local family law attorneys, mediators and the court's self help center, and ask how to join any provider list.
List your services where families search, so they can see your rates and book you online.

See the founders offer

Sources

General information only, not legal advice. Laws change, and this information may be incomplete, out of date or wrong. Confirm it with a licensed attorney in your state before you rely on it.