The Canadian Experience with Views of the Child Reports: A Valuable Addition to the Toolbox?
Date
2016
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Oxford Academic
Abstract
Non-evaluative Views of the Child Reports prepared by legal or mental health professionals are an increasingly popular means of involving children in the resolution of parenting disputes in parts of Canada, but there are no widely accepted standards and significant differences exist in how children are interviewed and how these reports are prepared. This article examines the methods by which children's views are obtained for use in court and non-court dispute resolution processes, reviews Canadian case law on Views of the Child Reports and presents the results of a survey of 65 legal and mental health professionals about their practice and experience preparing Views of the Child Reports. We discuss the benefits and limitations of these reports, the need for clear protocols and the factors that should be taken into account in establishing best practices, as well as the need for further research.
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Citation
Birnbaum, R., Bala, N. & Boyd, J.-P. E. (2016). The Canadian Experience with Views of the Child Reports: A Valuable Addition to the Toolbox? International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family, 30(2), 1-21.