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Family Court Services

General Information

Family Court Services assists families who are referred by the court for Child Custody Recommending Counseling (CCRC), also known as child custody mediation.

Family Court Services also conducts court-ordered investigations in probate and family law matters, including guardianships of minors, conservatorships of adults, and minor marriages.

Family Court Services Overview

Child Custody Recommending Counseling (CCRC)

(also called child custody mediation)

Family Court Services (FCS) helps parents who are referred by the court to Child Custody Recommending Counseling (CCRC).

This is a required step if you ask the court to make orders about child custody or visitation, such as when you file a:

  • Request for Order
  • Request for Domestic Violence Restraining Order
  • Motion for Visitation

CCRC is a type of mediation that helps parents make decisions about:

  • Legal Custody (who makes important decisions about the child's health, education and welfare)
  • Physical Custody (where the child lives)
  • Visitation (parenting time)

During the CCRC session, a trained neutral professional called a Recommending Counselor helps parents:

  • Talk about their child's needs
  • Work out a parenting plan
  • Try to reach an agreement before seeing the judge
  • If parents do not agree, the Recommending Counselor will make a recommendation to the court about custody and visitation

The parenting plan is a written document that defines legal and physical custody and timesharing of the children. A parenting plan usually covers:

  • Where the child will live
  • A schedule for time with each parent
  • Holidays and vacation plans
  • Communication between parents
  • How decisions will be made about the child's education, health care, and other important needs

Family Law Self-Help Center

If you do not have an attorney, the Family Law Self-Help Center can help you:

  • Fill out court forms to request custody and visitation orders 
  • Understand the CCRC process
  • Understand the court process

Visit the Family Law Self-Help page for more information.

Probate Guardianship and Conservatorship Investigations

FCS conducts investigations in certain probate cases, including:

  • Guardianship of minor children
  • Conservatorship of adults

Civil Self-Help Center

If you do not have an attorney, the Civil Self-Help Center can help you:

  • Fill out court forms for guardianship and conservatorship cases
  • Understand the court process

Visit the Civil Self-Help Center page for more information. 

Request for Minor to Marry

In California, a person under the age of 18 may only marry if:

  • They have written consent from at least one parent or legal guardian, or authorization from the court if they are a dependent or ward of the Juvenile Court, and
  • The court issues an order granting permission to marry.

In Ventura County, applicants under the age of 18 are required to participate in an interview with FCS.

  • The minor must attend the interview.
  • A parent or legal guardian must also attend.

The interview allows FCS to provide information to the court to help the judge decide whether to grant permission for the minor to marry.

Law: California Family Code section 302

All Child Custody Recommending Counseling (CCRC) sessions are conducted in person unless advance approval is granted for remote participation.

Requests to participate remotely must be approved by the judicial officer or the Family Court Services manager or supervisor.

Requests for remote participation should be made as soon as possible and emailed to FCS@ventura.courts.ca.gov

Child Custody Recommending Counselor 

The parents meet with a particular kind of mediator known as a Child Custody Recommending Counselor or Recommending Counselor (RC).

  • RCs are trained professionals with backgrounds in mental health, child development, or family law. They have Masters’ Degrees in such fields as Marriage and Family Therapy and Social Work.
  • RCs are trained in domestic violence, child development, substance use, and family dynamics. They use specialized education and experience to try to resolve disagreements, and help parents find safe, child-centered solutions. 
  • California Rules of Court 5.210 sets the standards for conducting court connected mediation.

Who Attends CCRC

  • Parents or legal guardians must attend.
  • Children six years of age and older must attend, unless otherwise ordered by the court.
  • Children are customarily interviewed in private by the RC and do not participate in the discussions conducted with the parents.

Information reviewed by the RC 

Before the start of the session, the RC will review the FCS intake form and court file, if available.

  • The RC will consider documents that have been filed with the court. They are prohibited from reviewing and accepting unfiled documents.
  • During the CCRC session, the RC will gather additional information about the issues that brought the family to court, as well as about such things as parenting history, needs of the children, and school and work schedules. 

Collateral Contacts

In some situations, the RC may speak with other individuals in addition to the parents, if ordered by the Court or if both parents agree to a specific contact.

  • The RC may obtain information without the parents’ permission from anyone with knowledge about alleged domestic violence and child abuse.
  • The RC also has discretion to obtain criminal history information.

      Confidentiality

      If parents reach an agreement on all issues, everything discussed with the parents in the CCRC session will remain confidential. Information the RC receives from children will not be disclosed to the parents or others.

      • If the RC submits a recommendation to the court, the RC may be asked to testify about statements made by the parents and children during CCRC.
      • Whether or not an agreement is reached, information received from parents or children concerning sexual, emotional, or physical abuse or neglect of a child is not confidential.  Reports about it may be made to the court and the appropriate authorities.
      • Information received about elder abuse, suicide threats, or threats of serious bodily injury may also be reported.

      If you have not taken part in CCRC or child custody mediation at the Ventura Superior Court before, the court requires you to complete this free online orientation before your scheduled mediation appointment.

      Before you Begin

      Please have your court paperwork with you. You will need to enter:

      • Your case number
      • Your CCRC appointment date
      • Your next court date (your next scheduled hearing)

      Steps to Complete Orientation

      You must complete all three parts of the orientation. 

      Part One: Learn About CCRC

      Complete the online orientation about Family Court Mediation and Child Custody Recommending Counseling.

      • This page includes a video (about 30 minutes) and written information and resources.
      • It explains what happens during mediation and what to expect.

      Go to the orientation page (video and information)

      Part Two: Complete and Submit Your Intake Form

      Part Three:  Submit Proof of Completion of Orientation

      Fill out the Proof of Orientation Completion Form.

      Submit the form via email to FCS@ventura.courts.ca.gov.

      Recommended Preparation (Optional)

      You are encouraged to complete the Families Change course to help prepare you for your CCRC session.

      Family Court Services (FCS) provides safety accommodations when there has been domestic violence, abuse, threats, coercive control, or a restraining order. If you have safety concerns, tell FCS as soon as possible before your Child Custody Recommending Counseling (CCRC) appointment.

      Separate Sessions

      If there has been domestic violence or a restraining order, the protected parent has the right to meet separately with the Recommending Counselor (RC) during CCRC. 

      Separate sessions may include:

      • Shuttle mediation, where the RC meets with each parent separately
      • Different appointment times
      • Separate arrival and departure times

      Requesting separate sessions will not be viewed as a lack of cooperation.

      (Family Code Section 3181).

      Support Person

      If there is a restraining order or criminal protective order, the protected parent has a right to bring a support person to any CCRC session, including separate sessions. 

      The support person is there for emotional support only and may not speak or participate in CCRC. 

      (Family Code section 6303)

      Domestic Violence and Child Custody

      The law requires judges to consider domestic violence when making child custody and visitation orders.

      If a court finds that a parent has committed domestic violence within the past 5 years, there is a legal presumption that awarding that parent sole or joint physical or legal custody is not in the child's best interest. A judge may still award custody if the parent rebuts the presumption and the court finds that the legal requirements are met.

      (Family Code Section 3044) 

      Additional Information

      For more information about domestic violence and child custody, visit the California Courts Self-Help Center.

      After the CCRC session, the RC will prepare the parenting plan the parents agreed to or prepare a recommendation if the parents did not agree.

      • Agreement: If parents agree on some or all of the issues, the RC will prepare a document for the Judge to consider containing those agreements. Parents can review the document with their attorney before signing it.
      • Recommendation: If parents do not reach an agreement the RC will make a parenting plan recommendation that includes proposed legal and physical custody and visitation arrangements. Parents will receive a copy of the recommendation before it is given to the Judge.
        • Either of the parents, or the Judge, may ask the RC to testify about the basis for the recommendation.
        • That testimony will be considered, along with the evidence and argument of the parents, when the Judge decides if the recommendations should be adopted or modified.
        • If either parent does not agree with the RC recommendation or are requesting corrections, they will have to address any concerns or corrections at the hearing.
      • Once both parents have been excused from the session, neither parent nor their attorneys may have further communication of any type with the RC, unless both parents are present.
      • If you believe that a specific CCRC has acted in an unprofessional or inappropriate manner, you can submit a complaint.

      Supervised visitation is when a parent spends time with their child with a neutral third person (provider) watching and listening during the visit. The purpose is to support safe and positive contact between the child and the visiting parent when there are concerns about safety or well-being. 

      There are two types of supervised visitation providers:

      • Professional providers (paid providers) 
      • Nonprofessional providers (a friend or family member) 

      Professional providers charge fees, which vary. The court does not pay for these services.

      Professional supervised visitation providers must follow Family Code section 3200.5 and the Uniform Standards of Practice for Providers of Supervised Visitation (California Rules of Court, Standard 5.20).

      Learn More:

      Professional Supervised Visitation Provider List (PSVP) 

      The Ventura Superior Court provides a Professional Supervised Visitation Provider List (PSVP) as a public service. This list includes contact information for providers.

      You are not required to choose a provider from this list. It is your responsibility to select a provider that meets your needs and complies with your court order.

      The Children's Waiting Room (CWR) is a safe and supervised environment for children ages 3 - 14 years old to wait while their parents or guardians attend hearings or conduct business with the court. The CWR has games, toys, books, movies, puzzles, crafts and healthy snacks - all free of charge.

      Visit the Children's Waiting Room page for more information.

       

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