Difference between revisions of "Children and Parenting after Separation"

Mental heath professionals may prepare a ''needs of the child assessment'' that talks about the family, the children and the arrangements that are in the best interests of the children. These are sometimes also called custody and access reports, section 211 reports and views of the child reports. Under the old ''[http://canlii.ca/t/ldg3 Family Relations Act]'', these were called section 15 reports. These are ''evaluative'' reports because the professional who prepares them offers an opinion about the best interest of the children.  

Mental health professionals and other people will special training in interviewing children, including lawyers, may prepare a ''views of the child report'' that talks about the views and wishes of the children, without offering an opinion about the arrangements that are in the best interests of the children. These reports are sometimes also called voice of the child reports. They are ''non-evaluative'' because the person who prepares them just reports on what the child has said, without offering an opinion of the child's views or best interests.

<blockquote><tt>"The purpose of a [court-ordered report] ... is to assist the Court in determining the issues before it, including the paramount of issues of what is in the best interests of the children. The section itself contemplates that the person doing the investigation must be approved by the Court, and must be independent or neutral. ... The investigation is carried out for the purposes of the Court, and in the best interests of the children, and not those of the partial parents who are embroiled in what is seen as the dispute of their lives, who generally represent the extremes of every issue, and whose evidence is often found to be coloured to say the least."</tt></blockquote>

For information on to how get a needs of the child assessment, see [[How Do I Get a Needs of the Child Assessment?]] It's located in the ''How Do I?'' part of this resource, in the section ''Other Litigation Issues''.

Assessments are also prepared by privately retained mental health professionals. Assessments prepared by a psychologists usually includes psychological testing.

These reports are prepared by trained, neutral professionals, usually a mental health professional, lawyer, mediator or someone else with special training. The professional will interview the child, sometimes more than once, and then write a report summarizing what the child has said, using the child's own words as much as possible. These reports are different than other reports because all they talk about is what the child has said, and they don't provide the professional's assessment of the child's best interests, or even an opinion about what the child has said. They simply repeat the child's statements to the professional.

For information on to how get a views of the child report, see [[How Do I Get a Views of the Child Report?]] It's located in the ''How Do I?'' part of this resource, in the section ''Other Litigation Issues''.

The reports of lawyers and mental health professionals can be prepared as quickly as the reporter's calendar allows, sometimes the same day but more typically within a week. The cost of these reports can range from $500 to $3,000, depending on the number of children involved and the reporter's hourly rate. The website of the BC Hear the Child Society lists the society's roster of trained lawyers and mental health professionals and where they practice.