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Difference between revisions of "Children and Parenting after Separation"
From Clicklaw Wikibooks
Children and Parenting after Separation (view source)
Revision as of 21:56, 18 May 2013
, 21:56, 18 May 2013→Needs of the child assessments
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Ordinarily, the assessor will meet each of the parents separately and meet them each again in the presence of the children. If the children are old enough, the assessor may speak to the children separately. The assessor may also speak to other people who know the parents and their children, such as friends, family and neighbours, the children's teachers, and any counsellors or therapists. | Ordinarily, the assessor will meet each of the parents separately and meet them each again in the presence of the children. If the children are old enough, the assessor may speak to the children separately. The assessor may also speak to other people who know the parents and their children, such as friends, family and neighbours, the children's teachers, and any counsellors or therapists. | ||
Once the assessment is finished, a process that can take anywhere from two months to five months, the assessor sends the assessment to the parties and to the court, if the assessment was court ordered. These assessments can be used in two ways: to encourage settlement; and, at trial, to persuade the court that one parent or guardian is to be preferred over the other. The person who prepared the assessment can be called to testify at the trial and will be subject to cross-examination as to how the | Once the assessment is finished, a process that can take anywhere from two months to five months, the assessor sends the assessment to the parties and to the court, if the assessment was court ordered. These assessments can be used in two ways: to encourage settlement; and, at trial, to persuade the court that the parenting proposal of one parent or guardian is to be preferred over that of the other. The person who prepared the assessment can be called to testify at the trial and will be subject to cross-examination as to how he or she conducted the assessment and reached his or her conclusions and recommendations. | ||
It is important to remember that the function of the assessor in court is to present his or her recommendations and the evidence that he or she relied on, such as test scores and interview observations, in coming to those recommendations. At the end of the day, it is always up to the judge to decide the parenting arrangements for the children. A needs of the child assessment is merely the assessor's recommendation to the court based on his or her particular expertise as an experienced psychologist, psychiatrist, or family justice counsellor; the assessment is not a final determination of the issue. | It is important to remember that the function of the assessor in court is to present his or her recommendations and the evidence that he or she relied on, such as test scores and interview observations, in coming to those recommendations. At the end of the day, it is always up to the judge to decide the parenting arrangements for the children. A needs of the child assessment is merely the assessor's recommendation to the court based on his or her particular expertise as an experienced psychologist, psychiatrist, or family justice counsellor; the assessment is not a final determination of the issue. | ||
