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→Family violence and the best interests of the child analysis
===Family violence and the best interests of the child analysis===
The only thing that matters when deciding guardianship, parenting arrangements, or contact with a child, is the ''best interests of the child''. All of a child's needs and circumstances must be considered when determining their best interests, but section 37(2) of the ''Family Law Act'' lists ten specific factors. Sections 37(2)(g) and (h) describe how family violence must be considered in the context of a child's best interests:
<blockquote><tt>37 (2) To determine what is in the best interests of a child, all of the child's needs and circumstances must be considered, including the following:</tt></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><tt>(g)the impact of any family violence on the child's safety, security or well-being, whether the family violence is directed toward the child or another family member;</tt></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><tt>(h)whether the actions of a person responsible for family violence indicate that the person may be impaired in his or her ability to care for the child and meet the child's needs;</tt></blockquote></blockquote>
A finding of family violence can greatly impact a court's decision around parenting arrangements and how to allocate parental responsibilities in keeping with the best interests of a child. A court could decide the person responsible for family violence should have no parenting time, supervised parenting time, or no parenting time or responsibilities.