Preparing to interview your child begins with you either agreeing with the other party involved to have your child interviewed, or getting a court order to have your child interviewed.
You must first decide if you wish to seek an Non-evaluative Views of the Child Interview (sometimes referred to as a Hear the Child Interview), or a more compreshensive assessment (which would be an Evaluative Views of the Child Report or a Needs of the Child Assessement). A Non-evaluative Views of the Child Report can be commissioned under Section 37(2)(b) of the Family law Act or section 16(3)(e) of the Divorce Act.
If you are planning a Non-evaluative Views of the Child Interview, then you or your lawyer can contact me to discuss my availability to help your family.
If you are seeking a more comprehensive report, please consult with your lawyer for help in finding a professional who offers these services.
If I determine that I am able to interview your child(ren), each party involved is asked to complete an Interview Intake Form and a Consent Agreement to Non-evaluative Views of the Child(ren). If there is court order specific to having your child interviewed, you will also be asked to provide a copy of the order.
Once I have receiived the completed Interview Intake Form and Consent Agreement from both parties, I schedule the interview(s). Full payment is required within 48 hours after the interview(s) have been scheduled to hold your appointment time(s).
In preparation to meet with your child, I review the information in your Interview Intake Form and plan the interview(s) to address the issues specific to your child and your family. I take time to ensure that your questions and concerns are explored with care and as objectively as possible.
I then meet with your child in my office. Interviews are approximately 45 to 60 minutes long.
My report will typically be completed within one to five days after meeting with your child.
I schedule interviews on a first come, first served basis, based on when I receive all of the required documents.