Voice of the Child Reports
Voice of the Child reports help you gain clarity around the views and preferences of your child regarding family decisions relating to them. By Peaceful Waters provides Voice of the Child Reports in Kitchener-Waterloo and throughout Ontario.Â
What is a Voice of the Child Report?
The primary purpose of the Voice of the Child is to understand what is working or not working for the child(ren) when it comes to their schedule and the parenting arrangements. For example, a Voice of the Child may offer clarity about how a child feels about the parenting schedule or about an issue such as a potential move or change in school.Â
A Voice of the Child Report:
- Recognizes the child as an important family member
- Reveals the child’s views and preferences
- Offers clarity about how to make child-centred decisions
When is Voice of the Child Report Used?
Voice of the Child Reports are used if parents present very different understandings of their child’s views and preferences. Children can communicate different information to their parents because of their tendency to want to avoid disappointing or hurting their parents, or because they are unsure of their parents’ response to their truest desires.
Talking with a neutral party can free the child up to share their views and preferences openly, because they have no emotional investment with the family professional.
Obtaining a child’s views and preferences is also helpful when parents are challenged to consider their child’s wishes due to their own emotional investment in the decision. Past experience with a former spouse can colour a parent’s ability to assess a child’s experience of the parent or the decision at hand. A Voice of the Child report can create the perspective you need to see the situation as your child sees and experiences it.
The Role of the Professional
The role of the professional is to provide a neutral, safe atmosphere for your child to be able to honestly express his/her thoughts and feelings without fear of being judged or criticized.
Our job is to ascertain your child’s concerns, fears, and greatest desires and to communicate these views and preferences to you, the parents.
Sometimes there are issues raised by a child during an interview that would best be addressed with ongoing support. In these cases, the professional can make a recommendation for individual therapy or alternative services such as Therapeutic Parenting Time.
Voice of the Child Process
Once you are ready, the process for Voice of the Child is straightforward:
- Complete an intake form
- Both parents sign an Agreement and provide the retainer
- Interviews are conducted with the parents separately
- Interviews are conducted with the child(ren) separatelyÂ
- A disclosure meeting is help with the parents after interviews with the option for lawyers to be present
- A formal Report is provided if requested
Confidentiality and Your Child
When working with children, even very young children, we employ the same values professionalism and respect, as with our adult clients. At By Peaceful Waters, treating children with courtesy and honesty is a must. We ensure that your child feels safe during the entire process, and we take time to plainly and simply explain the limits of confidentiality. The child has the opportunity to work with the professional to determine how the information is communicated to their parents.
Need Additional Co-Parenting Support?
Once you have a Voice of the Child Report, making decisions can still be challenging. You can draw on the experience and expertise of a parenting coordinator to understand how your child’s views and preferences relate to their stage of development and to your family dynamics.
You can work with a parenting coordinator to make decisions and reach new agreements that are consistent with the views and preferences of your child.
Child Centred Divorce Services
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Mediate your parenting plan and avoid lengthy court proceedings. Our mediators work with you to develop a plan that is child centred while equipping you to minimize conflict in your co-parenting relationship.Â
Parenting Coordination
We help parents work out how to practically implement the terms of your parenting plan and teach you the communication and conflict resolution skills you need to reduce and even avoid future conflict.
Voice of the Child
We create a safe atmosphere to talk with your child regarding family decisions relating to them. With their views and preferences clarified, parents can make informed decisions with their child's best interests in mind.
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