Questions and answers
Frequently asked questions
Clear answers about contact supervision, how to start, reports, venues and fees. If your question is not here, call us on 1800 842 048.
- Waiting list
- None: the first visit can be in as little as 2 days once both parents have completed intake
- Reports
- The same report to both parents within 3 business days
- Fees
- Fixed, GST included, no admin fees
- Court order
- Not required: parenting plans and private agreements too
Getting started
Starting with Family Konnect
How quickly can Family Konnect start supervised visits?
There is no waiting list, so the timing is set by you rather than by a waitlist. What sits in between is both parents completing the intake form, a phone interview each, a signed service agreement, and payment for the first session. Once those are done, a supervisor is allocated and visits begin: the first visit can be in as little as 2 days once both parents have completed intake, subject to availability.
Can a parent request supervised visitation themselves?
Yes. You can raise it directly with the other parent as a private arrangement, or through your family lawyer if your concerns may need a court order. Requests come from mothers, fathers, grandparents, and sometimes from the supervised parent who wants the structure. Both parents need to consent before visits begin, so a request is a first step rather than a guarantee. If you both agree, start with our intake form.
How do I arrange supervised visits in NSW?
Both parents complete our intake form, then attend a separate phone interview, so we understand your family's circumstances and your child's needs. From there the service agreement is signed, the first session is paid for, and a supervisor is allocated. The first visit can be in as little as 2 days once both parents have completed intake, subject to availability; how soon depends on both parents.
How do I prepare my child for their first supervised visit?
Use calm, simple language and tell your child what will happen in order: who they are seeing, where, how long it lasts, and who they are going home with. Framing it as special time in a safe place helps, and so does visiting the venue beforehand. We send a photo of your child's supervisor in advance so they recognise a friendly face on the day. For younger or anxious children we recommend a child familiarisation session first. There is fuller guidance on our supervised visits page.
What is a child familiarisation session?
An optional one-hour session at your child's home before contact begins, where they meet their supervisor somewhere familiar and unpressured. During the session the supervisor introduces themselves, explains the process and begins to build rapport, which is then documented in a short written report. It is $220 on a weekday and $280 on a weekend, and we strongly recommend it for children who are refusing to attend visits or changeovers. Mention it during your intake and we will arrange it.
What happens in the phone intake interview?
A confidential conversation of 30 to 45 minutes, held separately with each parent, at $150 per parent. We use it to understand your family's circumstances, identify any safety risks, and confirm our service is right for your situation before anything is scheduled. It is a required step for every family, court ordered or private.
General
Reports, venues and court orders
Is there a waiting list to start services?
No. Family Konnect is a private service with immediate intake availability, so families avoid the months of waiting common at subsidised agencies. We begin the assessment process as soon as both parents have completed our online intake form.
What's included in a Family Konnect contact report, and is it suitable for court?
Yes, our reports are written to be filed in the Family Court. Every report is a comprehensive, time-stamped account, written as the visit happens, from arrival to the final handover: the visit details, any court orders, who was present, how your child presented before contact, the account of the visit, a final summary, and 8 photos. Both parents receive the same report within 3 business days, so there is one objective record rather than two competing accounts. The full structure is set out on our supervised visits page.
Can supervised visits take place at a parent's home?
Yes, once a home safety check confirms the home is suitable. The check covers hazards, accessibility, clear lines of sight for supervision and general child safety, and it is priced on our fees page.
Do you have a contact centre?
If a court order mandates a contact centre, we facilitate visits in a room at the Pyrmont Community Centre in Sydney. Most families choose community venues instead, which feel more natural to a child, and our recommended venues page lists the ones most used by families.
Do I need a court order to use your services?
No. Many families come to us with Family Court orders, but we also work with parenting plans and private agreements between parents, provided our safety requirements are met.
Where can the visits take place?
In safe, neutral places chosen around your child: parks, libraries and play centres across Sydney, the Central Coast, Newcastle and the Illawarra. Visits can also be held in our Pyrmont contact room, or in the supervised parent's home once a home safety check is complete. Our recommended venues page lists the ones families use most.
Cost
Fees, who pays and when
Who pays for supervised visits?
That is usually set out in your court orders or the service agreement you sign with us. We can invoice one parent in full or split the cost between both at any agreed percentage. Payment is settled directly with us, not through the other parent, which keeps things simple and conflict-free. Bank transfer is preferred. Full rates are on our fees page.
How much does a supervised changeover cost?
A changeover package is $290 on a weekday, $330 Saturday, $370 Sunday and $450 on a public holiday. That flat fee covers both the going and the return changeover, staggered arrivals with no parent to parent contact, and two written reports within 3 business days. A single changeover, one direction, is $180 on a weekday, $200 Saturday, $220 Sunday and $270 on a public holiday. For a different arrangement, talk to us. The full structure is on our supervised changeovers page.
How much does a supervised visit cost?
A three-hour visit, the minimum, is $400 on a weekday, $465 Saturday, $510 Sunday and $630 on a public holiday, which covers the supervisor and the full written report. Additional hours run from $110 to $180 an hour, depending on the day. Before visits begin there is a required phone intake interview at $150 per parent. Every rate is listed on our fees page.
Do you charge admin fees or a report fee?
No. The price of a visit covers the supervisor's time, the written report and its photographs. Scheduling, emails, phone calls and changes to the schedule are part of the service, so there is no admin fee, and there is no report fee whatever the visit's length. The only other charges are the extra hours when a visit runs longer than three hours, the intake interview and the optional preparation sessions before visits begin, and a travel allowance where the supervisor travels more than 30 minutes. Every figure is on our fees page.
When do I need to pay?
Fees are paid two to three business days before each scheduled service. Bank transfer is preferred, and you can also pay by card. Account details and the card payment link are on our payment details page.
What happens if I need to cancel a session?
Tell us in writing at least 24 hours before the start time and there is no charge to cancel, reschedule or amend a booking. Inside 24 hours, the full booked fee applies. If we have to cancel, we give you as much notice as we can and offer the earliest reschedule available. The full terms are in our service agreement.
During visits
What happens on the day
What happens if my child doesn't want to attend?
Your child is never forced. The supervisor gives them time to settle and stays gentle about it, and a visit can be shortened, paused or rescheduled. Reluctance is common early on, which is why we offer a child familiarisation session at home before contact begins. If a child becomes distressed during a visit, the supervisor comforts them and only continues if it feels right for the child. Whatever happens is recorded impartially in the report.
What does the supervisor do during a visit?
They stay close and within earshot, observe without taking part, and write a time-stamped account of the conversations, interactions and notable moments as the visit happens. Photos are taken of parent and child interactions for the report. They step in only if safety requires it, and afterwards write the impartial report both parents receive. More on our supervised visits page.
Where do supervised visits take place?
In safe, neutral, child-friendly places: parks, libraries, play centres and indoor activity venues, chosen around your child's age, any court order conditions, and how easily everyone can get there. We work across Sydney, the Central Coast, Newcastle and the Illawarra, and our recommended venues page lists the ones families use most. Visits can also be held in a room at the Pyrmont Community Centre, or in the supervised parent's home once a home safety check is complete.
How long does a supervised visit last?
Three hours is the minimum, not the maximum: long enough for a child to settle in and connect properly without becoming overtired. A visit can run as long as the family likes, with each extra hour at the hourly rate, and plenty of families adjust the length once they see what suits their child. Rates for both are on our fees page.
Are Family Konnect supervisors qualified?
Yes. Every supervisor holds a current Working with Children Check and a National Police Clearance, and is screened by us before working with a family. Our team is qualified across the family services sector, from social work to youth and community work, and trained in trauma-informed, child-focused practice. Family Konnect is an affiliate of the Australian Children's Contact Services Association.
Can I bring gifts or take photos during a visit?
Yes to both, with two conditions. Gifts, letters and food are shown to the supervisor first, and healthy snacks are preferred over sugary treats. You are welcome to take photos and videos of and with your child unless your court orders say otherwise, though not of the supervisor or of other families. Our service agreement sets out the full code of conduct.
About supervision
What supervised contact is, and why
What is the difference between a supervised visit and a supervised changeover?
A supervised visit is a session where your child spends time with a parent while a supervisor observes, followed by a written report. A supervised changeover is a brief, staggered handover so your child can move between homes without the parents meeting. We offer both: compare them on our supervised visits and supervised changeovers pages.
What is a supervised contact visit?
Time between a child and a parent that takes place while a trained, neutral supervisor is present throughout. The supervisor is there to keep the visit safe and comfortable, not to intervene in the relationship, and afterwards writes an impartial report that both parents receive. Visits run for three hours at a minimum, longer where the family wants, and are held in community venues, a room at the Pyrmont Community Centre, or the supervised parent's home. Our supervised visits page walks through this in more detail.
Can supervised contact be arranged without a court order?
Yes, when both parents agree to it, complete intake and sign a service agreement. Many of our families come this way, wanting a neutral third party present during separation, after a long absence, or while other matters are being worked through. The process is identical to a court-ordered matter: both parents complete the intake form and a phone interview before visits begin.
Why would a parent have supervised visitation?
Usually because a court order or an agreement between parents asks for a neutral person to be present, whether to support safety, manage high conflict, or rebuild a relationship at a manageable pace. Common reasons include re-establishing contact after a long absence, concerns about family violence or substance use, or simply keeping things steady through a difficult period. It is rarely permanent. For many families supervised contact is a step towards unsupervised time.
Do you offer online contact?
Yes. Supervised video contact on Zoom runs for one hour and includes a full written report of the session, from $190 on a weekday to $270 on a public holiday. It suits families separated by distance, or matters where in-person contact is not currently possible. See our online contact page.