The SVI Standards
Seven domains define competent practice.
The SVI Standards of Practice are the framework against which all credentialed supervisors and accredited agencies are evaluated. They are reviewed and republished on a three-year cycle in consultation with the SVI Standards Committee.
Child Safety & Welfare
The paramount duty of the supervisor is the physical and emotional safety of the child during contact and exchange.
Neutrality & Independence
Supervisors maintain professional impartiality and refrain from advocacy on behalf of either party.
Documentation & Reporting
Contemporaneous, factual, and court-admissible records of every supervised contact, free of interpretive opinion.
Confidentiality & Disclosure
Strict controls on the handling of case information, with defined disclosure obligations to the court.
Training & Competence
Demonstrated knowledge of family violence, child development, trauma response, and de-escalation.
Ethics & Conduct
Conformance with the SVI Code of Professional Conduct, including conflict-of-interest and dual-relationship rules.
Operational Integrity
For agencies: insurance, retention, intake, scheduling, complaint handling, and continuity of operations.
SVI Standards of Practice
The complete Standards of Practice, including the Code of Professional Conduct and the full accreditation criteria, is not published openly. It is provided to courts upon request and to qualified applicants as part of the credentialing process.
Request the DocumentApplication of the Standards
How the standards are enforced.
Standards without enforcement are suggestions. Every SVI credential and accreditation is conditioned on continued conformance, verified through the triennial reaccreditation cycle, continuing education audits, and the complaint process open to courts, attorneys, and parties.
Where a credentialed supervisor or accredited agency is found out of conformance, the Institute's procedures provide for remediation, suspension, or revocation, and directory listings are updated to reflect current standing. A provider's appearance in the SVI Directory means its standing is current.