Access Rights

Access rights are the right of the parent who does not have custody to spend time with the child.

Access usually takes one of three forms:

• Reasonable access: the parents agree on visits between themselves, with flexible times.
• Defined access: a fixed schedule, such as set days, weekends or school holidays.
• Supervised access: visits happen with a third person present, or at a set centre.

Why it matters: losing custody does not mean losing your child. Knowing the types of access helps you ask for an arrangement that works for your family.