5,310
edits
Changes
→Parenting assessments
*speak to each of the parents, often more than once,
*speak to one or more other people who know the family or the children, like teachers, family members, social workers and therapists,
*speak to the children, depending on the children's age and maturity, and*observe each of the parents interacting with the children, and *review reports and other documents about the parents, the family or the children, like psychological-educational reports, medical reports, and materials that have been filed in court.
(Psychologists will also usually ask the parents to complete one or more tests that are designed to provide information about the parents' personalities and parenting styles, and see whether family violence is present.)
Parenting assessments are available from Family Justice Counsellors, government employees attached to the Provincial Court, for free. Because these assessments are free, there's a huge demand for them and you can expect to have to wait months for the assessment process to begin and months for the process to complete.
Parenting assessments are also available privately, from psychologists, clinical counsellors and social workers. These reports are usually completed faster than the reports of Family Justice Counsellors, but the cost can range from $6,000 to$24,000, depending on the circumstances and complexity of the case, the number of children and whether the assessor must travel to meet the family. ===Evaluative views of the child reports=== Evaluative views of the child reports are prepared by mental health professionals under section 211(1)(b) of the ''Family Law Act''. They are available when parents agree that a report should be prepared, or when a judge or arbitrator orders that a report should be prepared. In most cases, the professional will: *speak to each of the children, sometimes more than once, and*review reports and other documents about the parents, the family or the children. These reports are important because both the ''Divorce Act'' and the ''Family Law Act'' include children's views and preferences among the factors that must be taken into account when deciding the arrangements for parenting and contact that are in the best interests of the children. (You can find this factor at section 16(3)(e) of the ''Divorce Act'' and at section 37(2)(b) of the ''Family Law Act''.) Parents often find it helpful to hear what the children actually think from a neutral professional. Like parenting assessments, these reports can provide the missing piece of the puzzle that helps parents agree on parenting schedules and decisions about things like where the children go to school, which extracurricular activities the children participate in, where the children live, and how much time the children spend with relatives. Evaluative views of the children reports are available from Family Justice Counsellors for free. However, there's a huge demand for these reports, just like there is for parenting assessments, and you can expect to have to wait months for the report to be available. Evaluative views of the children reports are also available privately, from psychologists, clinical counsellors and social workers. These reports are usually completed faster than the reports of Family Justice Counsellors, but the cost can range from $2,000 to $6,000, depending on the circumstances and complexity of the case, the number of children and whether the assessor must travel to meet the children.
==Resources and links==