Talking to children about separation and divorce

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Talking to children about separation and divorce

Free Legal Aid provides useful information about child custody. In addition to the video here, be sure you check out other resources.

Child Visitation

Parents may have joint legal custody even if they don’t have joint physical custody. That means the parent has the right to participate in decisions affecting the child, regardless of how much time the child spends with the non-custodial parent. check to learn more.

Parental Liability Basics

Parental liability is the term used to refer to a parent's obligation to pay for damage caused by negligent, intentional, or criminal acts committed by the parent's child. Parental liability only applies to your minor or underage children. check to learn more.

The Basics of Child Custody

Legal Custody refers to the right and responsibility of a parent to make decisions relating to the health, education, and general welfare of his or her child. Physical Custody refers mostly to the right and responsibility to choose where the child will live. check to learn more.

Mediation on divorce

It is not there to sort out your relationship problems (in other words it is not about trying to get you back together – that's the role of marriage counselling), but rather to help you agree the issues that arise once you know that you are going to split up. check to learn more.

Understand the "Best Interests of the Child" Standard

Courts look for evidence that the parent requesting custody is genuinely able to meet the child's physical and emotional needs. Nearly all courts base child custody decisions on the best interests of the child standard. Courts generally prefer to keep kids' routines consistent. check to learn more.