
Research confirms that divorce is not what harms children; it's how the divorce unfolds that damages children. The most harmful part of separation and divorce for children is high levels of conflict and distress. Studies have found that family conflict hurts children even more than parental death.
Therefore, the Family Law Act of British Columbia insists that parents who are separating put their children's best interests first.
An effective way to protect your children from the damage of divorce is to include a Child Specialist on your Collaborative Team.
The Child Specialist focuses exclusively on your children, meeting with them and giving them a safe place to tell their stories. After assessing your children's needs and concerns, the Child Specialist reports back to your team.
Throughout negotiations, the Child Specialist keeps both parents, and all members of the Collaborative Team focused on the well-being of each child. They can:
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Help you create a parenting plan
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Give your children tools and strategies to navigate the transition to two homes
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Provide you and your team with feedback on what's helping and not helping
The Child Specialist goes to bat for your children leading to better lives for your entire family post-separation.