Under s. 37(1) of the ''[[Family Law Act]]'', when the court or the parties are making orders and agreements about guardianship, parenting arrangements, or contact with a child, the parties and the court must consider the best interests of the child only. Under s. 37(2)(b), the child's views are to be taken into <span class="noglossary">account</span> when assessing the child's best interests.

There are two main ways to get This means, the views of a child before the court: #through a 's ''needs'' and ''circumstances''views of must be considered. This includes the child report'' (an evaluative report) prepared by an expert, like a social worker, registered clinical counsellor, psychologist or psychiatrist, or #through a non-evaluative lay s views of the child report (a non-evaluative report) prepared by someone who has training in interviewing children, like a family justice counsellor or a lawyer, and may also include a trained mental health professional.

Other ways of getting the The child's views before are usually presented to the court include in a ''views of the child writing report.'' This is a letter to the judgewritten report prepared by a trained, neutral professional, usually a mental health professional, having an independent lawyer prepare an affidavit for the child, mediator or asking other professional. The professional interviews the judge to interview child and writes a report that summarizes the child 's own views as expressed in his their own words. Take note that a ''views of the child report'' is not an assessment of the child's needs. It is not an assessment of the parents or her officetheir parenting skills. It does not include recommendations about what is in the child's best interests, nor what the parenting arrangements should be.

A note of caution Parents often disagree about giving what a letter from your child to 's wishes are, and what the judge, though: judges are often very concerned about having children involved directly in say to each parent. A views of the court proceedings. The judge might also think you pressured your child into writing report gives the letter. It is far better children an opportunity to express their views to a neutral person who will listen to get an evaluative or them and prepare a non-evaluative written report if your child wants a voice in for the parents and for the court proceedings.

==Evaluative These reports==are different than evaluative reports because they don't ''evaluate'' anything; they merely report what the child has told the reporter with no analysis, opinion or commentary. They simply say "I spoke to Brandon and Brandon said..." without any editorializing.

Section 211(1)(b) of the ''Family Law Act'' allows the court to appoint someone to <span class="noglossary">assess</span> the views The reports of family justice counsellors are free, but because there is such a child in relation demand for these reports and so few family justice counsellors trained to prepare them, there can be a family law dispute, and delay of up to make orders about how six months before the report <span class="noglossary">will</span> be paid foris available.

When a The reports of lawyers and mental health professional is asked to ''<span class="noglossary">assess</span>'' professionals can be prepared as quickly as the childreporter's viewscalendar allows, sometimes the process is same day but more than an interview because the assessor is being asked to give the court an opiniontypically within a week. The assessor may want cost of these reports can range from $500 to meet with $3,000, depending on the child for two or more interviews; number of children involved and the assessor may speak with the childreporter's parents or other important people in hourly rate. The website of the child[http://hearthechild.ca/roster/ BC Hear the Child Society] lists the society's life; roster of trained lawyers and, the assessor may administer one or more tests to the childmental health professionals and where they practice.

The finished report <span class="noglossary">will</span> present the child's views to the court along with the assessor's evaluation of the strength and consistency of the child's views and the extent to which what the child has said really reflects the child's actual preferences. =Evaluative reports like this are cheaper to get than needs of the child assessments, but <span class="noglossary">will</span> still cost somewhere between $2,500 and $5,000. They can usually be completed in two to three months.=

Section 211(1)(b) of the ''Family Law Act'' allows the court to appoint someone to ''<span class="noglossary">assess</span>'' the views of a child in relation to a family law dispute, and to make orders about how the report <span class=Non-evaluative reports=="noglossary">will</span> be paid for.

Non-evaluative views of When a mental health professional is asked to ''<span class="noglossary">assess</span>'' the child reports's views, also called ''hear the process is more than an interview with the child reports'' or ''voice and a summary of what the child reports'', can be ordered under ss. 37(2)(b) and 202 For an evaluative report the assessor is being asked to make an assessment of the views. The assessor may want to meet with the child for two or more interviews. The assessor may also speak with the child's parents or other important people in the child'Family Law Act'' and are prepared by family justice counsellors, lawyers with special training, and mental health professionalss life.

These reports are different than evaluative reports because they donThe finished report <span class="noglossary">will</span> present the child't s views to the court along with the assessor's evaluation of the strength and consistency of the child'evaluate'' anything; they merely report s views and the extent to which what the child has told said really reflects the reporter with no analysischild's actual preferences, opinion or commentary. They simply say "I spoke to Brandon and Brandon said..." without any editorializingcomment on the child's maturity level.

The Evaluative reports of family justice counsellors like this are free, but because there is such a demand for these reports and so few family justice counsellors trained cheaper to prepare them, there can be a delay get than needs of up to six months before the report is available.  The reports of lawyers and mental health professionals can be prepared as quickly as the reporter's calendar allowschild assessments, sometimes the same day but more typically within a week. The <span class="noglossary">will</span> still cost of these reports can range from somewhere between $2,500 to and $35,000, depending on the number of children involved and the reporter's rate. The website of the [http://hearthechild.ca BC Hear the Child Society] lists the society's roster of trained lawyers and mental health professionals and where they practiseThey can usually be completed in two to three months.

==Arranging for the views of the child report==

The parties can agree that a views of the child report <span class="noglossary">will</span> be prepared, but if they can't agree, an application can be made to court for an order that a report be prepared. If you have to apply to court for such an order, make sure that you do your homework before going to court so that you will be able to tell the judge who you suggest should prepare the report, how much the anticipated costs will be, and their availability. The order <span class="noglossary">will</span> usually specify exactly who is being retained to prepare the report and can also specify how the report <span class="noglossary">will</span> be paid for.

Once the report is ordered or agreed upon, either party can should get in touch with the person who <span class="noglossary">will</span> be preparing the report. The reporter <span class="noglossary">will</span> tell you what happens next, when the interviewing process <span class="noglossary">will</span> begin, and when the completed report <span class="noglossary">will</span> likely be ready. The reporter can also give you some tips on how to explain the interview to your children.

{{REVIEWED | reviewer = [[Thomas WallworkInga Phillips]], May 9July 12, 2017}}