09/23/2026
In just the past week, two communities close to the SVN team—Dallas and Jacksonville—have experienced shootings connected to child custody exchanges. In both incidents, children were present.
For those of us who work in supervised visitation and exchange services, these events are sobering reminders of why safe exchanges matter.
An exchange may last only a few minutes, but those few minutes can carry significant risk.
Safe exchange is more than choosing a public location or a convenient meeting place. When there are safety concerns, families may need thoughtful planning, appropriate screening, clear procedures, separation between parents, and an environment designed to reduce opportunities for confrontation.
Most importantly, children should not be placed in the middle of adult conflict or exposed to violence, threats, or fear simply because they are transitioning from one parent to another.
Professional supervised exchange services can provide structure, separation, and safety-focused procedures for families when direct exchanges present concerns.
These incidents are a difficult reminder that communities need options for families when an ordinary parenting-time exchange may not be safe.
