Forty Two Decisions

I love this visual. As a family mediator understanding what lies under the issues can be extremely beneficial in facilitating positive outcomes in mediation.

When we understand why something is important it can alter our perspective. If we just battle out the issues without understanding what is driving it we can remain stuck.

Understanding is key.

Effective March 1, 2021 the words "custody" and "access" in the Divorce Act were repealed and replaced with "decision-making responsibility" for a child and "parenting time".

They also included a broader definition of family violence. Family violence does not need to be a criminal offense nor proven beyond a reasonable doubt, but rather on the civil buffer of proof, based on a balance of probabilities.

The Divorce Act confirmed that the "best interests of the child" is the only consideration to be taken into account when determining parenting orders.

For more information on the changes and a complete list of factors to consider when determining a child's best interest go to

https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/fl-df/cfl-mdf/fam.html

-makingresponsibility