View source for The Rights of Children and Youth in Family Law Matters

===Making decisions that are in children's best interests===

The other factors listed in section 37(2) are these:

<blockquote><tt>(a) the child's health and emotional well-being;</tt></blockquote>
<blockquote><tt>(c) the nature and strength of the relationships between the child and significant persons in the child's life;</tt></blockquote>
<blockquote><tt>(d) the history of the child's care;</tt></blockquote>
<blockquote><tt>(e) the child's need for stability, given the child's age and stage of development;</tt></blockquote>
<blockquote><tt>(f) the ability of each person who is a guardian or seeks guardianship of the child, or who has or seeks parental responsibilities, parenting time or contact with the child, to exercise his or her responsibilities;</tt></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><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><tt>(i) the appropriateness of an arrangement that would require the child's guardians to cooperate on issues affecting the child, including whether requiring cooperation would increase any risks to the safety, security or well-being of the child or other family members;</tt></blockquote>
<blockquote><tt>(j) any civil or criminal proceeding relevant to the child's safety, security or well-being.</tt></blockquote>

Section 37(3) also says that:

<blockquote><tt>An agreement or order is not in the best interests of a child unless it protects, to the greatest extent possible, the child's physical, psychological and emotional safety, security and well-being.</tt></blockquote>

Like the ''Divorce Act'', the ''Family Law Act'' provides a few additional factors that judges &mdash; just judges &mdash; must consider to help them assess the impact of family violence under section 37(2)(g) and (h). These factors are listed in section 38.

Again, remember that children have the right to be raised as well as possible, while their parents are together and after they separate. Each of the best-interests factors listed in the ''Family Law Act'' is vitally important to the quality of life and the quality of care of children whose parents are living apart. They're an excellent guide to parenting after separation.

Remember that it's the children who have the right to be raised and cared for in the best possible way, and it's the children who have the right to the best possible arrangements for their parenting.