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→Evaluative views of the child reports
*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''.) They will describe the children's views, preferences and wishes and provide the professional's opinion of the children's views, preferences and wishes. The professional might provide an assessment of , for example, about the strength and consistency of the children's views, the extent to which the children's preferences are in their best interests, and the extent to which what the children have said reflects what the children actually think.
Parents, judges and arbitrators often find it helpful to hear what the children have to say about things from a neutral professional. Like parenting assessments, these reports can provide the missing piece of the puzzle that helps parents finally agree on parenting schedules and decisions about issues like where the children go to school, which extracurricular activities they participate in, where they live, and how much time they spend with relatives.