Bancroft and Silverman recommend a "tiered approach" to visitation for batterers who complete treatment and behave appropriately. Visitation would initially start at a visitation center, followed by supervised visitation in the community. The next level would involve supervision by reliable friends or relatives and eventually visitation might include short periods of unsupervised time. Visitation should not occur over the objection of the child and should not include overnight visits (Bancroft & Silverman, The Batterer as Parent, 2002, at 173).
With respect to supervised visitation centers:
Supervised visitation centers provide a safe location for visits under the oversight of trained personnel who can intervene if problems arise. Parents arrive and depart at different times so that there is no opportunity for contact. Staff members observe the visits and interact with parents to provide informal advice and education. Visiting parents are prohibited from whispering to children, forcing physical contact, or making negative comments about family members. Most families view the program favorably, and there is some indication that parental attitudes are positively affected.
— Ver Steegh, Differentiating Types of Domestic Violence (2005) at 1409.
