Supervised Contact Services
After a separation, families can arrange for their children to spend time with both parents. These arrangements are known as ‘contact visits’. Sometimes, parents need some support to maintain a healthy, safe environment for all family members during contact visits. Using a supervised contact visit service is one way that parents and guardians can access this kind of support.
During a supervised contact visit, Meli supervision staff are present at all times and work with the non-residential parent and the children to maintain and build their relationship through play, dialogue and positive interactions.
Supervised contact visits happen regularly and usually last for about two hours. Families can also make other arrangements for contact visits depending on their circumstances.
Meli’s services
Meli helps provide two kinds of contact visit services – a government-funded Children’s Contact Service (CCS) and a fee-for-service Family Engagement Service (FES).
The main differences between the two services are cost, availability of contact visitation times and how long you can use the services for.
All visits happen in a safe space with supportive people on hand to help where needed. Our independent, neutral venues and experienced team support parents foster positive relationships with their children and work towards managing contact visits independently in the future.
Children’s Contact Services
- Partially government-funded. Each parent pays between $5.00 and $50.00 per session.
- Has a greater demand and longer wait list due to the reduced fees which are offset by government funding.
- To use the service both parents must agree to the program guidelines.
- Children must be 12 years or younger as a single child or 14 years and under with younger siblings
- Read our brochure and guidelines for parents and guardians for more details.
Family Engagement Service
- This is a fee-for-service program and does not receive any government funding.
- Often has availability for parents to begin supervised contact visit quickly as there are shorter waitlist due to the full fee paying component of the service
- To use the service both parents must agree to the program guidelines.
- Children must be 12 years or younger as a single child or 14 years and under with younger siblings
- Read our brochure and guidelines for parents and guardians for more details.
What you can expect from our services
- A family-focused environment
- An established centre with appropriate toys, games and equipment
- Trained, experienced and professional staff
- Established safety and security procedures
- Privacy and confidentiality
- Support to move towards managing visits yourself
- Information, advice and referrals regarding other services that are there to support parents and children
Find out more:
Meli’s Supervised Contact Services Overview: SCS Overview Brochure
Information and Guidelines for Parents and Guardians: SCS Booklet for Parents and Guardians
Frequently Asked Questions
A supervised contact visit is when families use a supervised service like Meli’s to have their contact visit.
During a supervised contact visit, Meli supervision staff are present at all times and work with the non-residential parent and the children to maintain and build their relationship through play, dialogue and positive interactions.
Meli supervision staff observe interactions to ensure the visit is emotionally and physically safe for the children. Staff remain impartial with a focus on children’s best interests at all times.
We offer children orientation visits at Meli before supervised contact commences to familiarise them with the environment and staff.
The timing and length of supervised contact visits are at the child’s pace. Supervised visits may be short or spread out to begin with. Time together can then be increased based on the Meli Supervisor’s assessment of the child’s level of comfort.
A facilitated changeover is an arrangement for children to have a contact visit without parents needing to see or contact each other.
During assisted changeover Meli supervision staff will:
- Accompany the children from one parent to the other.
- Record observations about what they see and hear during changeovers.
- Pass on a communication book for parents to exchange necessary information about the children.
- Maintain a positive and an encouraging attitude to and about both parents.
- Assist parents with information and referrals to other services when needed, to help them progress towards self-managing their changeovers.
Both parents need to complete an application.
Generally, one parent will fill this out initially. Once we receive an application, which has the relevant information from one parent, Meli will send an application to the other parent to also complete. The parent responding to the application is given a four-week period to return their application.
Once we have received both applications, both parents will be notified and placed on the relevant waitlist for service with either the Children’s Contact Service or Family Engagement Service.
Children’s Contact Service: 6 months of supervised contact visits and/or 6 months of facilitated changeovers with the hope that families will be able to self-manage contact visits after this time.
Family Engagement Service: as long as required, with the view to self-manage where possible.
No. We are here to support you. Our aim is to help parents and guardians safely self-manage contact visits with their children. We are compassionate, independent, neutral, unbiased and non-judgemental. Our team is child-focused and family friendly – this means supporting all members of the family to feel safe and supported, however we can.
How to access this service
Family members, lawyers or community agency workers can call Meli Supervised Contact Services for information and application forms on 03 5226 8900
Both parents need to complete an application form and further information may need to be obtained from other professionals as part of the Intake Assessment Process.
We also suggest:
- Reading through our brochure and guidelines for parents and guardians
- Downloading and completing our application form and email it to scs@meli.org.au or mail it to us at
Supervised Contact Services
PO Box 324, North Geelong 3215
After you apply:
Further resources
Australian Children Contact Service Association
The Orange Door is a free service for adults, children and young people who are experiencing or have experienced family violence and families who need extra support with the care of children.
The Lookout provides information, resources and services aimed at preventing and responding to family violence.
1800 RESPECT is Australia’s national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service. Call toll free on 1800 737 732.
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