Supervised Child Visitation for Non-Custodial Parent: A Study of Court-Assisted-Visitation and Its Monitoring System in Taiwan

父母對未成年子女的監督式會面交往：以臺灣法院之輔助及監督機制為中心

本文針對臺灣之臺北、新北、新竹與高雄地區的監督式會面交往制度進行研究。監督式會面交往是由各地方法院中的家事服務中心所提供。該中心係由地方政府委託非政府組織以及其他私人機構營運。本文旨在分析服務之實際案例與服務內容。本文以採取質性研究中的訪談作為研究方法，對象為裁定監督式會面交往之法官以及實際執行監督式會面交往的社會工作者進行訪談，以完成本質性研究。研究發現，自從1998年《家庭暴力防治法》施行後，法院於涉及家庭暴力與高衝突之分居與離婚案件中，逐漸鼓勵採取監督式會面交往。臺灣《民法》第1055條之1中之子女最佳利益原則，是法官與社會工作者在裁量是否應該要允許、限制或中止監督探視之重要因素。法律專家與非法律專家皆持續攜手合作，努力使未任親權人之父母與其子女能夠在高衝突、分居、離婚之家庭中繼續保持聯繫。

This article presents a study of supervised visitation services offered by Taipei, New Taipei City, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung districts in Taiwan. It is based on a review of practices and services offered by Visitation and Family Services Centers based at the courts operated by the city/county governments, NGO and private agencies. It is a qualitative research conducted by way of interviews with judges ordering supervised visitation and social workers handling supervised visitation meetings. This study found that the courts started encouraging supervised visitation in separation and divorce cases involving domestic violence and high levels of family conflict after the introduction of the Domestic Violence Prevention Law in 1998. The best interests of the child principle enshrined in Article 1055-1 of the Taiwan Civil Code is the fundamental consideration for judges and social workers to determine if supervised visitation should be allowed, restricted or discontinued. Both legal and non-legal experts are working hand-in-hand to promote continued contact between the non-custodial parent and the children of high conflict, separated and divorced families.