Supervised Access in Ireland 

Questions and Answers for Parents and Solicitors

Supervised Access Ireland (SAI) | Updated 7 October 2026

Supervised access allows a child to spend time with a parent or family member while a trained worker observes and responds to safety or welfare concerns. This guide answers 80 practical questions about referrals, preparation, visits, the child’s voice, reports and costs.

SAI works with families, solicitors and referring professionals across Ireland. Every referral is considered individually, with the child’s safety, welfare, dignity and voice at the centre. This guide explains the service. Advice about your court order or legal rights should come from your solicitor.

Ready to enquire? Contact SAI to discuss availability, referral requirements and a quote.

Find your answer

1. Understanding Supervised Access
2. Referrals and Eligibility
3. Court Orders and Legal Arrangements
4. Before the First Session
5. During Supervised Access
6. Child Safety, Welfare and Voice
7. Records, Updates and Reports
8. Practical Arrangements
9. Access Workers and Professional Standards
10. Starting and Managing the Service

Section 1 Understanding Supervised Access

1. What is supervised access?

Supervised access is contact between a child and a parent or family member with a trained worker present to observe the interaction and respond to safety or welfare concerns. At Supervised Access Ireland (SAI), the worker maintains boundaries and records factual observations, including the child’s words and observable responses where relevant.

2. Why might supervised access be required?

It may be required where concerns, family circumstances or a court direction indicate that contact should take place with independent professional oversight.

3. What is the difference between supervised and supported access?

Supervised access involves a worker observing contact throughout the session. Supported access generally involves less direct oversight. The appropriate level must reflect the child’s needs, identified risks and any court direction; a supported arrangement should not be substituted for required supervision.

4. What is the purpose of supervised access?

Its purpose is to allow family contact to take place within a structured environment where the child’s safety and welfare remain the priority.

5. Is supervised access a punishment?

No. It is a protective and structured arrangement intended to facilitate contact safely. It should not be presented to the child as punishment.

6. Who supervises the contact?

A trained access worker supervises the session. Their role includes observation, maintaining agreed boundaries, responding to concerns and keeping factual records. A senior worker or designated manager may provide additional oversight where required.

7. Does the access worker remain present throughout the session?

Where fully supervised access is required, the access worker remains in a position to observe the contact throughout the session.

8. Can grandparents or other family members have supervised contact?

A referral may concern contact with a parent or another family member, such as a grandparent. The proposed participant must be identified during referral, and the arrangement must be suitable for the child and consistent with any relevant court order. Attendance is agreed before a session.

Section 2 Referrals and Eligibility

9. Who can request supervised access?

A parent, solicitor, court-appointed professional or other relevant professional may contact Supervised Access Ireland about a referral.

10. How can a solicitor refer a family for supervised access?

A solicitor can contact Supervised Access Ireland with the proposed location, contact arrangements and relevant legal information. The team will explain the information needed from the parties and how to provide documents. An enquiry does not confirm acceptance or reserve a session.

11. Can a parent contact the service directly?

Yes. A parent may make an initial enquiry directly. Information from the other parent, solicitors or relevant professionals may be required before arrangements are confirmed.

12. Is a court order always required?

No. Some arrangements arise from a court order, while others may be agreed between parents through their solicitors or another appropriate process.

13. Can supervised access be arranged privately?

It may be possible where suitable arrangements are agreed, relevant information is provided and the service is satisfied that the proposed contact can be managed appropriately.

14. Can a professional make an initial enquiry without confirming a referral?

Yes. A solicitor or relevant professional may make an initial enquiry to establish availability and discuss the general requirements of a possible referral.

15. Does Supervised Access Ireland accept every referral?

No. Each referral is assessed individually. Acceptance depends on the information supplied, safety considerations, service suitability, location and worker availability.

16. What information is needed for an initial referral?

Have the child’s age, town or county, proposed days and times, solicitor details and any relevant court order ready. Explain known safety concerns and any communication, medical or accessibility needs. Ask the team how to provide sensitive documents; an initial enquiry only needs to provide enough information to establish the next step.

Section 3 Court Orders and Legal Arrangements

17. Can Supervised Access Ireland work under a court order?

Yes. The relevant parts of the court order must be supplied so the team can understand the arrangements directed by the court.

18. Should the complete court order be provided?

The service should receive all parts of the order relevant to contact, safeguarding, restrictions and the responsibilities of the parties.

19. What happens if the court order is unclear?

SAI will identify the point needing clarification and ask the parties or their solicitors to address it before arrangements are confirmed. For example, uncertainty about who may attend should be resolved before an additional person joins a visit. SAI does not provide legal interpretation or amend court orders.

20. Can the service change the terms of a court order?

No. SAI cannot amend a court order. If different arrangements are proposed, ask your solicitor what legal steps are required before making changes. A service booking does not itself change the terms of an order.

21. Does the access worker give legal advice?

No. Access workers provide supervision and factual documentation. Parents should obtain legal advice from a qualified solicitor.

22. Can the service decide how often contact should occur?

The service can discuss practical availability but does not replace the court or the parties’ legal advisers in determining legal contact arrangements.

23. What happens if parents disagree about the arrangements?

The service will not adjudicate a legal dispute between parents. The disagreement should be addressed through solicitors, mediation where appropriate or the court.

24. Can court-directed arrangements begin immediately?

Not always. Relevant documentation must be reviewed, preliminary steps must be completed, and a suitable worker and location must be identified before contact can commence.

Section 4 Before the First Session

25. What happens before supervised access begins?

The process starts with an enquiry. The team then gathers information and reviews the relevant documents. The team considers risks, checks worker and venue suitability, and confirms rules, costs and practical arrangements. Contact starts only once the necessary preliminary steps have been completed and a session is confirmed.

26. Are parents given rules and boundaries?

Yes. Parents are informed about expectations, arrival arrangements, communication, prohibited conduct and the child-focused nature of the service.

27. How can I prepare my child for supervised access?

Use calm, age-appropriate language to explain where the visit will happen, who will be there and who will help. Avoid promises about how the child will feel or pressure about what they should say. Tell the team about worries or communication needs beforehand. See our child-friendly information.

28. Is identification required?

Identification or other verification may be requested as part of the referral and onboarding process.

29. Are safety concerns discussed beforehand?

Yes. Known safety, welfare, medical, behavioural or practical concerns should be disclosed before the first session.

30. What happens if important information is withheld?

Withholding relevant information may compromise safety and could delay, suspend or prevent the service from proceeding.

31. Are arrival and departure arrangements planned?

Yes. Separate arrival and departure arrangements may be used where appropriate to reduce conflict and protect the child and adults involved.

32. When is the first session confirmed?

A session is confirmed after the required information, documentation, arrangements and any applicable payment requirements have been completed.

Section 5 During Supervised Access

33. What happens during a supervised access session?

The child spends time with the agreed parent or family member while the worker observes. Activities must suit the child, venue and agreed rules. The worker may offer reassurance, redirect inappropriate behaviour or intervene if concerns arise. Relevant events are recorded factually.

34. Can the access worker support the child during contact?

Yes. The worker may offer appropriate reassurance or practical support while remaining neutral and within the agreed professional role.

35. Can a parent bring food, toys or gifts?

This should be agreed beforehand. Items must be suitable for the child and consistent with the service rules and any court-directed restrictions.

36. Can photographs be taken during contact?

Photography or recording must comply with the service rules, consent arrangements, safeguarding requirements and any applicable court order.

37. Can another family member attend?

Only where attendance has been agreed in advance and is consistent with the court order, referral arrangements and the child’s welfare.

38. Can the parent discuss the court case with the child?

No. Children should not be questioned about adult disputes, legal proceedings or the other parent during supervised contact.

39. What happens if inappropriate behaviour occurs?

The worker may redirect the behaviour, establish a boundary, pause the session or end contact if necessary to protect the child.

40. Can a session finish early?

Yes. A session may end early where safety, welfare, behaviour, illness, distress or a serious breach of the agreed rules makes continuation inappropriate.

Section 6 Child Safety Welfare and Voice

41. How does SAI approach child safeguarding?

The child’s safety and welfare guide preparation, supervision and responses to concerns. Safeguarding includes reviewing known risks, setting boundaries and following reporting procedures when concerns arise. Read our Child Safeguarding Statement for the organisation’s published framework.

42. How are risks considered?

Available information is reviewed before contact. Arrangements are then planned according to the identified circumstances and level of concern.

43. What happens if a child becomes upset during supervised access?

The worker responds to the child’s immediate needs and observes what is happening. This may involve reassurance, a pause or ending the session if continuing is inappropriate. Records should describe what the child said or did, the context and the action taken, without assuming the reason for the distress.

44. What happens if a child refuses supervised access?

Access workers do not physically force a child to engage. They listen, observe and respond to the child’s presentation, while following safeguarding procedures and the agreed arrangements. The child’s words, observable behaviour and any decision to pause or not proceed are recorded. Questions about changing a court order should go to the parties’ solicitors.

45. How is the Voice of the Child recorded?

The child’s exact words are recorded where relevant and distinguished from the worker’s observations. Context matters: when something was said, what question preceded it and what happened next. For example, in a fictional record, “I want to go home” is a quotation; “the child moved towards the door” is an observation. Neither statement establishes the reason for the child’s response.

46. What happens if a safeguarding concern arises?

The worker responds to immediate safety needs, records the concern and follows SAI’s safeguarding and escalation procedures. This may include referral to the appropriate statutory services. Confidentiality does not prevent necessary safeguarding action. The Child Safeguarding Statement explains the reporting framework.

47. Are access workers neutral?

Access workers are expected to remain professionally neutral. Neutrality does not prevent them from acting when a child’s safety or welfare is at risk.

48. Can the service guarantee that contact will continue?

No. Continuation depends on safety, compliance with arrangements, worker availability and any relevant legal directions.

Section 7 Records Updates and Reports

49. Are notes taken during or after contact?

Yes. Relevant factual information about the session is recorded in accordance with the service’s procedures.

50. What is included in a supervised access record?

A record may include who attended, actual arrival and departure times, the scheduled session, relevant interactions, the child’s words and observable behaviour, and how the session ended. Safeguarding concerns and the action taken should be clearly recorded, including times where relevant.

51. How are supervised access reports kept factual?

Reports distinguish what the worker directly saw or heard from information supplied by someone else. Exact quotations are separated from descriptions of behaviour. For example, “the parent arrived at 10:15” records an event; “the parent did not care” assigns a motive and is not a factual observation.

52. Does SAI make custody or access recommendations in its supervised access reports?

SAI’s supervised access reports are observational. They record relevant events, statements, interactions and safeguarding actions rather than making recommendations about custody or future access. Decisions about legal arrangements remain outside the access worker’s role.

53. Can solicitors receive regular supervised access updates?

Where agreed as part of the service, solicitors can receive concise factual updates stating whether contact proceeded and whether a relevant issue occurred. An update is distinct from a full court report. Confirm the recipients, frequency and reporting requirements when the referral is arranged.

54. How can a parent request a copy of a report?

Submit the request through the SAI contact page and identify the report or session concerned. The team will consider the request under the applicable data protection and disclosure requirements, referral terms and any court direction. Access is not decided solely by who paid for the session.

55. Can reports be used in court?

A solicitor can advise whether and how a particular document may be used in legal proceedings. Supervised Access Ireland does not provide legal advice.

56. Are supervised access records confidential?

Records are handled as confidential information, with access and disclosure subject to data protection requirements, safeguarding duties and lawful disclosure obligations. Confidentiality is not a promise that information can never be shared. Ask the team how records will be used and who is expected to receive reports before sessions begin.

Section 8 Practical Arrangements

57. Where can supervised access take place?

Contact takes place in a suitable location agreed before the session. Suitability depends on the child’s needs, privacy, accessibility, identified risks and the worker’s ability to observe. Suggest a town or area when enquiring, but do not assume a proposed home or public venue has been approved.

58. How do I check supervised access availability in my county?

SAI considers referrals across Ireland. To check availability in Dublin, Cork, Donegal, Monaghan, Wexford or another county, contact Supervised Access Ireland with your town, proposed days and times, and the required arrangements. Availability depends on a suitable worker, location and referral assessment; nationwide coverage does not guarantee an immediate local booking.

59. How long does a supervised access session last?

The session length follows the court order or agreed arrangements, taking the child’s circumstances into account. Give the team the required start and finish times when enquiring. A scheduled session may end early if safety, distress, illness or a serious breach of rules makes continuation inappropriate.

60. How often can supervised access take place?

Frequency follows the relevant court direction or agreed arrangements and must also be practical to deliver. Tell the team whether you need recurring visits or a single session, the preferred days and any date restrictions. Confirm each booking; an initial enquiry does not establish an ongoing schedule.

61. What happens if someone is late?

The person should notify the service immediately. Lost time may not be recoverable, and repeated lateness may be recorded or affect future arrangements.

62. What happens if a supervised access session is cancelled?

Notify the service through the agreed channel as soon as possible. Whether a charge applies depends on the cancellation terms provided for your arrangement. Ask for those terms before booking, including notice periods and what happens when a child is ill or a participant cannot attend.

63. Who pays for supervised access?

Payment responsibilities should be established before the service begins. They may be agreed between the parties or addressed in a court order.

64. How much does supervised access cost in Ireland?

For SAI’s fees, request a quote for the specific arrangement. Relevant factors can include session length, location, travel, staffing and documentation requirements. Ask for a breakdown covering any setup fee, supervision, travel, reports and cancellation charges so you understand the total. Use the contact form to request a quote.

Section 9 Access Workers and Professional Standards

65. What qualifications do SAI access workers have?

SAI’s published staff information describes third-level qualifications and/or extensive relevant experience, together with in-house training. Qualifications differ by practitioner and role. You can ask about the experience and training relevant to your referral. See SAI’s staff and service background.

66. What does a senior access worker do?

A senior access worker may supervise complex arrangements, support other workers, review practice and provide additional professional oversight.

67. Are SAI access workers trained and Garda vetted?

Yes. SAI states that staff undertaking relevant work with children are Garda vetted in accordance with applicable requirements. Practitioners receive role-specific training in safeguarding, professional boundaries, observation and factual reporting. Further information is available in our service standards and safeguarding statement.

68. Can parents choose their access worker?

Preferences may be considered, but allocation depends on suitability, neutrality, location, availability and the requirements of the case.

69. Can the same worker attend every session?

Continuity is desirable where practical, but it cannot always be guaranteed because of availability, illness, leave or changing case requirements.

70. Can an access worker be contacted privately?

Communication should take place through approved organisational channels. Personal telephone numbers and personal email accounts should not be used unless specifically authorised.

71. Is supervised access the same as therapy?

No. Ordinary supervised access provides observation and supervision within agreed boundaries. Therapy requires a separately agreed service and an appropriately qualified practitioner. Do not assume a supervised access booking includes counselling, psychological assessment or therapeutic work.

72. Can an access worker decide custody or access disputes?

No. Access workers do not decide custody, guardianship or legal access disputes. Those matters remain for the parties, their legal advisers and the court.

Section 10 Starting and Managing the Service

73. How do I request supervised access with SAI?

Use the SAI contact form, email info@supervisedaccessireland.com or call 01 556 3084. Give your general location and proposed arrangements, and mention any court order or solicitor involvement. The team will explain the referral and document requirements.

74. What documents should be supplied?

Provide relevant court orders, solicitor correspondence and any information affecting the child’s safety or the delivery of contact. Identification should also be provided if requested.

75. How quickly can supervised access begin?

A start date can be confirmed only after the required information has been received, the referral considered and a suitable worker and location identified. If there is a court date or proposed first visit, include that date in your enquiry. Ask what remains outstanding and when availability can be confirmed; an urgent request does not guarantee immediate commencement.

76. What can delay the start of supervised access?

Missing documents, unclear court directions, unavailable parties, unresolved safety concerns, location difficulties or limited worker availability may cause delays.

77. How should parents communicate with the service?

Parents should use the designated company telephone number or email address and follow the agreed communication arrangements.

78. What happens if circumstances change?

The service must be informed promptly about new court orders, safeguarding concerns, address changes or any other information affecting contact.

79. How do I raise a concern or make a complaint?

Follow SAI’s Complaints Policy. Give the date, the issue, the people involved where relevant and the response you are seeking, so the concern can be understood and reviewed. Raise an immediate safety concern promptly through the service’s safeguarding arrangements rather than waiting for a routine complaint response.

80. What is Supervised Access Ireland (SAI)?

Supervised Access Ireland (SAI) is an organisation providing supervised access services for families across Ireland. It has provided these services since 2007. Its approach centres on child welfare, trained workers, professional boundaries and factual observation. Families and solicitors can review the service background, standards and safeguarding statement before making an enquiry. Each referral is considered for suitability and availability.

Contact Supervised Access Ireland

To discuss a referral, ask about availability or request a quote:

• Complete the contact form.
• Email info@supervisedaccessireland.com.
• Call 01 556 3084 or 087 285 3472.

Include your town or county, proposed contact arrangements and any relevant dates. Mention solicitor involvement or a court order, and ask how to provide sensitive documents. The team will explain what is needed before a session can be confirmed.

About this guide and further information

This guide describes SAI’s supervised access service and the practical questions families and referring professionals commonly need to resolve. Read about SAI and its staff training, the Standards of Service and the Child Safeguarding Statement. Children and parents can also use our child-friendly information.