Legal Definitions - stepped-up visitation

Stepped-up visitation is a type of visitation in family law where a noncustodial parent or relative is given access to a child on a limited basis, which gradually increases over time as the child becomes more familiar with the parent or relative.

• A father who has been absent from his child's life may be granted stepped-up visitation, starting with short visits and gradually increasing to longer periods of time as the child becomes more comfortable with him.
• A grandparent who has not had contact with their grandchild may also be granted stepped-up visitation, starting with supervised visits and gradually increasing to unsupervised visits as the relationship between the grandparent and grandchild strengthens.

These examples illustrate how stepped-up visitation allows for a gradual re-introduction of a parent or relative into a child's life, with the goal of building a positive and healthy relationship between them.