A Day in the Life of a Visititation Monitor

Each day can feel very different as a Visitation Monitor at Safe and Sound Supervised Visitation Center (Safe & Sound). Depending on the day of the week, Monitors will be scheduled with anywhere from one to three families for the day and with single or multiple children in each visit. Children that use Safe & Sound range from ages 1 to 18 and it is the Monitor’s job to make sure the room is set up to accommodate each family.

We have five Visitation Rooms and an indoor gymnasium for the families to utilize throughout their visiting time. There are up to five families visiting at once, each family and monitor has their own room, including the gym. This means the Monitors coordinate with one another to ensure each family has a turn in the gym if they like.

When a Monitor signs in for the shift, they start by checking the schedule to see which families they are scheduled to be with for the day. If a monitor has a family with multiple children, they might choose our CAVS-themed room which is one of the larger ones. If a Monitor has older teens for their visits, they might choose our game room which has an X-BOX set up for them to play. We also have an ADA room if one of the families needs accommodation. Each of our rooms are set up with lots of books, movies, puzzles, toys and board games to create a safe, engaging space for the families.

Throughout each shift, Monitors communicate with each other, the Lead Monitor, and security via walkie-talkies. We share pertinent information like when a family arrives on-site or departs, when it’s a family’s turn to use the gym, and other safety codes. A Visitation Monitor oversees each family’s visit and keeps all participants safe during their scheduled time at Safe & Sound. This includes intervening during a visit when necessary to advocate for a child or protect a survivor-parent’s safety. When necessary, Monitors de-escalate a situation before prematurely ending a visit. When this happens, the Monitor explains to the parent why they intervened and why what happened was inappropriate or unsafe. Safety is our main job at Safe & Sound and we want each person who comes through our doors to feel comfortable.

During the visit, a Monitor’s job is to take documentation notes for each family’s visit that may be requested for a court hearing. These notes include our observations of what occurs during the visit - without opinions or bias. One important skill to have as a Monitor is multi-tasking; we constantly use active listening skills while observing the family and writing notes.

Each family has a different set of needs. For example, one family might sit and talk through the entire visit and all but forget the monitor is present, while another family might request the monitor play a couple of rounds of Uno with them. When a visit ends, the Monitor ensures the room and toys are sanitized and prepares for the next family.

Before we sign out for the day, we all assist in sanitizing the visitation rooms and shared spaces like the gym and the lobbies. We charge our walkie-talkies and submit our paperwork. We then debrief for the day with the Lead Monitor, sharing any important details from the visits that the Lead Monitor may need to follow up on. We check in with each other and if one of us had a hard day we might help make some self-care plans.

Each of us comes from a different background and other jobs during the week but when we get together on the weekends, we’re all ‘Team Safe & Sound.’