Vancouver Kelowna Post Separation Coparenting lawyers know that “parents are forever“. Our Vancouver Kelowna Post Separation Coparenting lawyers also are well aware that the single greatest predictor for ensuring your child grows up healthy and successful as an adult is the “absence of parental conflict”. Surprisingly, studies show that whether you coparent and talk jointly about decisions regarding your child, or you don’t talk at all so the child isn’t exposed to conflict in a parallel parenting scheme, the absence of conflict for the child in these two approaches leads to a healthy child. Here are some free coparenting tips. We provide today’s Vancouver Kelowna Post Separation Coparenting lawyers blog. We are committed to helping you to co-parent so your child moves forward successfully. Call us at our Kelowna office at 778-754-1542 or toll free at 1-877-602-9900 to meet at our Kelowna office. See directions to our offices across BC and in Calgary.
Vancouver Kelowna Post Separation Coparenting
Now that you have obtained the guardianship and parenting time orders that you wanted; and now that the children will spend a significant amount of time with both parents, the parents ought to consult with each other regarding major decisions for the children which is great on paper but in reality, you and the other co-parent can’t agree on whether the sky is blue or grey.
Now what?
Having to co-parent the children with your former partner may be one of the toughest challenges you have to deal with after separation. After all, it is likely due in part to your poor communication and major and/or frequent disagreements that you decided to separate. Co-parenting difficulties arise during the separation process and may persist even after the financial and custody issues have resolved. It is impractical and too costly to hire lawyers to commence a court application every time that there is a minor disagreement about decisions relating to the children and lawyers are not in the best position to provide you with parenting advice given that their education and training is for purposes of being able to provide you with legal advice.
Options For Resolving Issues Arising FromVancouver Kelowna Post Separation Coparenting
Fortunately, the Family Law Act of British Columbia provides for appointment of a number of professionals who can help separated parents with issues relating to the children, namely, parent coordinators and counsellors who may be divorce coaches or child specialists.
Section 15 of the Family Law Act provides that the Court has the jurisdiction to appoint a parenting coordinator and section 6 of Regulation 347/2012 sets out the issues that fall under the authority of a parenting coordinator. Once appointed under an Order or an agreement, a parent coordinator is not only there to help parents reach mutually agreeable solutions or build consensus, but is also authorized, failing consensus, to make determinations regarding the following issues:
(i) a child’s daily routine, including a child’s schedule in relation to parenting time or contact with the child,
(ii) the education of a child, including in relation to the child’s special needs,
(iii) the participation of a child in extracurricular activities and special events,
(iv) the temporary care of a child by a person other than
(A) the child’s guardian, or
(B) a person who has contact with the child under an agreement or order,
(v) the provision of routine medical, dental or other health care to a child,
(vi) the discipline of a child,
(vii) the transportation and exchange of a child for the purposes of exercising parenting time or contact with the child,
(viii) parenting time or contact with a child during vacations and special occasions, and
(ix) any other matters, other than matters referred to in paragraph (b), that are agreed on by the parties and the parenting coordinator
Vancouver Kelowna Post Separation Coparenting Lawyers Explain Court Ordered Counselling
Section 224 of the Family Law Act provides that a court may require one or more parties or a child to attend counselling, specified services or programs. It also authorities the court to apportion the fees related to same among the parties.
224 (1) A court may make an order to do one or both of the following:
(a) require the parties to participate in family dispute resolution;
(b) require one or more parties or, without the consent of the child’s guardian, a child, to attend counselling, specified services or programs.
(2) If the court makes an order under subsection (1), the court may allocate among the parties, or require one party alone to pay, the fees relating to the family dispute resolution, counselling, services or programs.
Other Assistance For Vancouver Kelowna Post Separation Coparenting
The parties may want or be required to work with a child specialist who is a registered professional trained in child development and psychology and assisting families going through separation. The role of a child specialist is to help parents come up with parenting plans with a focus on the needs and best interests of the child/ren. The parties may also be assisted by divorce coaches who are licensed, registered professional trained in the collaborative divorce/separation process. They address conflict, adjustment, and emotional difficulties through strengthening communication and problem solving skills between parties. They may also suggest online child communication tools such as Our Family Wizard.
Call MacLean Law’s Vancouver Kelowna Post Separation Coparenting Lawyers Today toll free at 1-877-602-9900
Our firm handles Collaborative family files, mediations, arbitrations and court decided issues when other options are unworkable.
At MacLean family Law, we assist clients with going through the challenges of the separation process with our collaborative approach and strong, assertive litigation skills to ensure that you negotiate the agreement you want or obtain the Order you need to address current and future issues and put you in the best position to have the tools you need going forward to work with the other parent including the appointment of professionals who can ensure a smooth transition and a healthy development after the resolution of legal issues.
