Custody and Access Assessment in Ontario: The Steps From Order to Report

Custody and access assessment under Ontario's Children's Law Reform Act: how one is ordered, who conducts it, what happens during it, and how much weight the report may carry. In this video: • What an assessment is: a professional evaluation of a family's circumstances, ordered to help a court decide decision-making responsibility, parenting time or related questions, today more often called a parenting assessment or a Section 30 assessment. • How one gets ordered: by court order, where a judge decides the case genuinely needs an independent evaluation, or by agreement between the parents; not every contested parenting case ends up with one. • Who conducts it and what happens: commonly a psychologist or social worker with relevant family law experience, through intake, separate interviews with each parent, interviews and observation involving the child, collateral contacts with appropriate consent, and a written report. • What the report typically covers: each parent's overall capacity to meet the child's needs, the child's relationship with each parent, and a specific recommendation about decision-making responsibility, parenting time, or both. • How much the report decides: it is persuasive evidence but not the final word, because the judge still weighs it alongside everything else in the case. • Time and cost: the assessor bills directly, and cost and timelines vary, so ask a prospective assessor for a specific quote. Learn more: https://treadstonelaw.ca/articles/custody-... Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:06 What a Custody and Access Assessment Is 1:39 How an Assessment Gets Ordered 2:21 Who Conducts the Assessment 2:46 What Happens During the Assessment 3:38 What the Report Typically Covers 4:00 How Much the Report Actually Decides 4:29 Time and Cost, Realistically 5:07 Frequently asked questions 6:12 About Treadstone Law Save this for when you need it, or share it with someone who does. About this series: Ontario family law in plain language: separation and divorce, parenting time, support and property, and what to know before you decide. About Treadstone Law: Treadstone Law is a digital law firm serving clients across Ontario. We help clients with family law matters from anywhere in Ontario. Legal services are provided by licensed lawyers. Ready to start a file? Visit treadstonelaw.ca to get started. Going through a separation? The Divorce Centre walks you through it step by step: https://treadstonelaw.ca/centres/divorce General legal information, not legal advice. Watching this video does not create a lawyer-client relationship. #ParentingAssessment #FamilyLaw #OntarioFamilyLaw #CoParenting #TreadstoneLaw