About the Institute
A profession worthy of the families it serves.
Supervised visitation sits at the most difficult intersection of family law: where a child's right to a parent meets the court's duty to protect. For too long, the work has been carried out without unified standards, formal training, or accountable oversight. The Supervised Visitation Institute exists to change that.
Our Charter
Four commitments.
I. Set the Standard
Publish and maintain a national framework of practice standards covering safety, neutrality, documentation, ethics, and reporting, informed by court practice across all fifty states.
II. Credential the Practitioner
Examine and certify individual supervisors at two professional tiers, with continuing education requirements and an enforceable Code of Professional Conduct.
III. Accredit the Agency
Award institutional accreditation to provider agencies that meet operational, training, and case-management requirements, giving courts a defensible referral.
IV. Inform the Court
Serve as a non-partisan resource to the judiciary, the family bar, and child welfare professionals on emerging issues in the field.
Governance & Disclosures
How the Institute is constituted.
The Supervised Visitation Institute is an independent standards organization. It is not a government agency, and accreditation by the Institute does not constitute licensure where state or county licensure is required.
The Institute was chartered by practitioners. Its founding accredited members include operating provider agencies, and individuals affiliated with accredited providers may serve in Institute roles. The Institute manages these relationships through its conflict-of-interest rules: accreditation reviews, complaint proceedings, and standards decisions affecting a member agency are conducted without the participation of persons affiliated with that agency.
Accreditation and credentialing decisions are made against the published criteria of the SVI Standards of Practice, and every credential issued is subject to the same complaint, review, and revocation procedures, regardless of the holder's affiliation.
Questions regarding governance may be directed to the Office of the Registrar through the contact page.
Work with the Institute.
Agencies and individual supervisors may apply for accreditation and credentialing at any time. Courts may request the Standards document or a directory verification.