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Difference between revisions of "How Do I Get a Needs of the Child Assessment?"
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How Do I Get a Needs of the Child Assessment? (view source)
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==Needs of the child assessments== | ==Needs of the child assessments== | ||
Under s. 37(1) of the ''[[Family Law Act]]'', when the court or the parties are making orders or agreements about guardianship, parenting arrangements or contact with a child, the parties and the court must consider the best interests of the child only. Disagreements often arise around what's ''best'' when it comes to these decisions. In some cases, it can help to get the opinion of a neutral third party. Under s. 211 of the act, the court can appoint a person, typically a psychologist, clinical counsellor or social worker, to <span class="noglossary">assess</span> one or more of: | Under s. 37(1) of the ''[[Family Law Act]]'', when the court or the parties are making orders or agreements about guardianship, parenting arrangements, or contact with a child, the parties and the court must consider the best interests of the child only. Disagreements often arise around what's ''best'' when it comes to these decisions. In some cases, it can help to get the opinion of a neutral third party. Under s. 211 of the act, the court can appoint a person, typically a psychologist, clinical counsellor, or social worker, to <span class="noglossary">assess</span> one or more of: | ||
* the needs of a child in relation to a family law dispute, | |||
* the views of a child in relation to a family law dispute, or | |||
* the ability and willingness of a party to a family law dispute to satisfy the needs of a child. | |||
The professional appointed to prepare the report will usually: interview the child's parents or guardians; interview the children, depending on their age and maturity; watch each parent or guardian interacting with and parenting the children; administer personality and parenting tests to the parents; read any reports that are available about the children's medical and mental health; and, interview a few people who know the family and the children. What the professional actually does will depend on the circumstances of the family and the sort of report they have been asked to write. | The professional appointed to prepare the report will usually: interview the child's parents or guardians; interview the children, depending on their age and maturity; watch each parent or guardian interacting with and parenting the children; administer personality and parenting tests to the parents; read any reports that are available about the children's medical and mental health; and, interview a few people who know the family and the children. What the professional actually does will depend on the circumstances of the family and the sort of report they have been asked to write. | ||
The report the professional will prepare is called a ''needs of the child assessment'', and will provide a summary of what the professional has learned about the family as well as the professional's opinion about what is in the best interests of the children. (You might also hear these reports called ''section 211 reports''. Under the old ''[http://canlii.ca/t/ldg3 Family Relations Act]'', these reports were called ''section 15 reports'' or ''custody and access reports''.) These reports are intended to be neutral and prepared without bias. They are ''evaluative'' because the professional is providing their expert opinion about the parents or guardians, the children and the arrangements that are best for the children. | The report the professional will prepare is called a ''needs of the child assessment'', and will provide a summary of what the professional has learned about the family, as well as the professional's opinion about what is in the best interests of the children. (You might also hear these reports called ''section 211 reports''. Under the old ''[http://canlii.ca/t/ldg3 Family Relations Act]'', these reports were called ''section 15 reports'' or ''custody and access reports''.) These reports are intended to be neutral and prepared without bias. They are ''evaluative'' because the professional is providing their expert opinion about the parents or guardians, the children, and the arrangements that are best for the children. | ||
Needs of the child assessments can be very helpful in resolving a dispute about the care of children. The court <span class="noglossary">will</span> usually give a great deal of weight to the assessor's opinion and recommendations. | Needs of the child assessments can be very helpful in resolving a dispute about the care of children. The court <span class="noglossary">will</span> usually give a great deal of weight to the assessor's opinion and recommendations. | ||
==Picking the assessor== | ==Picking the assessor== | ||
