The one-sentence difference

Supervised visitation means a professional is present for the entire visit. Monitored exchange means a professional is present only for the hand-off of the child between parents — the visit itself is unsupervised.

Supervised visitation

In supervised visitation, the supervisor stays for the full duration of the parenting time. They observe and document everything: conversation, activities, the child's demeanor, arrival and departure. The court receives an objective record of how the parent and child interact.

Courts order it when the concern is about what happens during the visit — safety, substance use, inappropriate conversation, or a relationship that needs to be rebuilt gradually.

Monitored exchange

In a monitored exchange, the concern is not the visit — it's the transition. High-conflict parents who cannot be in the same place without incident use a neutral professional to transfer the child. One parent arrives and departs first; the supervisor manages the hand-off; the other parent picks the child up without the parents ever interacting.

The visit itself proceeds normally and privately. The supervisor documents only the exchange — timing, condition of the child, compliance with the order, and anything notable said or done during the transfer.

Side by side

  • Supervisor present during the visit: supervised visitation — yes; monitored exchange — no
  • Parents kept separated: both services accomplish this
  • Documentation produced: supervised visitation — full session report; monitored exchange — exchange record
  • Typical duration: supervised visitation — 2–3 hours; monitored exchange — 15–30 minutes per exchange
  • Typical cost: supervised visitation costs more because the supervisor is engaged for the full session

Which one does your order require?

Read the language of your order carefully. Phrases like "visitation shall be supervised by," "in the presence of," or "under the supervision of" indicate supervised visitation. Phrases like "exchanges shall occur at," "neutral exchange," or "parties shall not be present together" indicate monitored exchange. Some orders require both — supervised visits and monitored exchanges for any unsupervised time that is later granted.

If the language is ambiguous, ask your attorney — or send us the relevant paragraph through our inquiry form and we'll tell you how providers in South Carolina typically read it.

What TruVisit South Carolina provides

We provide both services at the same flat rate: $65/hour with a $150 one-time intake. Monitored exchanges are billed at the same hourly structure. Both come with written documentation formatted for the South Carolina Family Court.