—Children
The court asks one question.
Not who was wronged, and not who left. What is in the best interests of this child. Every argument that does not answer that question is wasted, and knowing so early saves a great deal of money and a great deal of damage.
01What we deal with
Four things, and they overlap more than you would expect.
Care and contact
Where the children live and when they see the other parent. The old words were custody and access; the Children’s Act changed the words and changed the emphasis with them.
Parenting plans
A written agreement covering the ordinary week, the holidays, school decisions and medical ones. Registered with the Family Advocate or made an order of court.
Relocation
One parent wants to move, to another province or another country. These are difficult, fact-heavy applications and they are decided on the child rather than on the parents.
Maintenance
Establishing it, varying it when circumstances change, or enforcing it when it quietly stops being paid.
02Before you telephone anybody
Mediation first, wherever it is possible.
One of our directors is an accredited family mediator.
A parenting plan the two of you built costs a fraction of one imposed after a fight, and it is obeyed far more often.
Where there has been violence or intimidation, mediation is the wrong tool and we will say so on the first call.
How mediation works hereTell us what is happening with the children.
Ten minutes on the telephone is usually enough for us to say whether you need us at all.