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Family Resources in Canada and British Columbia
The following information contains links to websites that provide an introduction to family law and conflict resolution.
Department of Justice Canada maintains a website that discusses the laws that govern separation and divorce in Canada. For British Columbia, the Justice Services Branch of the Ministry of Justice maintains a website that provides general information about a number of issues of interest to B.C. couples who have separated or who are about to separate. It may also be useful for guardians and other family members, such as grandparents, who may be involved in making important decisions about the family and its future.
If you are separating in Canada you may be required to attend a session on Parenting after Separation (PAS). PAS is designed to focus on the needs of children when parents separate, and how parents can help meet those needs. The Ministry of Attorney General also publish a Handbook for Parents called Parenting after Separation, which provides valuable information on how to support your family through this major life change.
JP Boyd’s Family Law Resource website discusses the various alternatives to going to court if you have a family law problem. “Depending on your particular circumstances, you may never need to darken the doorway of a courtroom. Almost every issue a couple faces when their relationship breaks down can be handled without litigation, as long as both people are open to negotiation and each is flexible enough to find compromise. The only thing you must go to court for is a divorce order.”
The Legal Services Society maintains this legal information website about family law and legal aid British Columbia, Canada. They also publish this booklet, which explains the law in general concerning common-law relationships, marriage, separation, and divorce. Here is a more detailed explanation of Spousal Support (Law Courts Education Society of BC, 2009). There are sites on the Internet that provide free estimates of recommended child and spousal support according to the Canadian federal guidelines.
Listed below are individuals and organizations that have been (or expect to be) represented at a “Smartsettle Orientation for Family Gatekeepers” session and have agreed to have their attendance recorded here. This list includes excellent resources for supporting children and families in resolving conflicts in more peaceful and collaborative ways.
Other Legal Resources
Click here to learn more about Smartsettle’s affiliated legal advisors and our commitment making high quality legal information available to our clients.
Financial Resources
Canada Pension Plan (CPP) – Credit Splitting Upon Divorce or Separation
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/isp/pub/factsheets/credit.shtml
View and print your Canada Pension Plan Statement of Contributions
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/isp/common/proceed/socinfo.shtml/
Click here to learn more about Smartsettle’s affiliated financial advisors and our commitment making high quality financial information available to our clients.
Mediation Resources
Taylor Wilson at Abbotsford Mediation uses the Smartsettle process.
Counsellor Resources
Annette Kasahara
Registered Clinical Counsellor – M.Ed. Psychology
Marriage – Relationships – Families
604-531-4491
Daystar Counselling Services
Cliff Holloway, (M.T.S.-C), Registered Clinical Counsellor, Certified Trauma Counsellor
102-2890 Garden St., Abbotsford, B.C.
Office: 604.855.6677 Cell: 604.807.1690
Irene Peterson and Associates Clinical Counsellors
Registered Psychologist and Clinical Counsellors – Trauma Specialists
Irene Peterson*, Dr. Cinny Bubber
604-859-1462
The Spaces Between Counselling
Liz Coleman, RPC
Phone: 604-809-8947
Email: info@thespacesbetweencounselling.com
Website: http://thespacesbetweencounselling.com
Liberty Counselling Centre
Hans Abma
604-864-4357
Pastoral Resources
Harvest Christian Fellowship
Compassionately helping the hurting by leading them to Jesus
Todd Martin, Pastor
604 852-7878
West Abbotsford Mennonite Church
Karen Heidebrecht Thiessen, Pastor
604-854-8181
Highland Community Church
Roland Balzer
604-852-9509
Other Resources
Co-Parenting Apps
Along with the many challenges a separation creates, coordinating and communicating with your co-parent about your children is one that can last the longest. Others have faced this challenge and created tools that can increase the quality, quantity and accountability of your communications with your co-parent. The primary tools they offer include shared calendars, messaging, journaling, expensing, and information sharing. Two apps that have received positive feedback from their users are 2houses and Our Family Wizard.
Ministry of Children and Family Development
Our mission is to promote and develop the capacity of families and communities to:
* Support healthy child development;
* Care for and protect vulnerable children and youth; and
* Support adults with developmental disabilities.
Rufus Loewen, Chaplain
Toll-free 1 877 387-7027
Abbotsford Family Justice Centre
People can contact or visit family justice centres when they are thinking about separation or divorce, or at any time when dealing with issues of child custody, access, guardianship and support.
Family justice counselors provide professional assistance that may result in resolving family issues outside of court.
604-851-7055
Divorce Care
A special support group where you can find help as you recover from the hurt of separation or divorce.
South Abbotsford Church
604-853-2663 (Herman and Martha Siemens)
Central Heights Church Divorce Care
604-855-4529 (Dick and Louise Hiebert)
* Smartsettle Family Conflict Resolution Centre brochures available
Informative Audio and Video
All of the following video / audio information is linked to public information and/or is used with the permission of the owner of the website from which it was obtained. The opinions expressed are the authors themselves and do not represent the position of Smartsettle Family.
Family Checkup with Rex Murphy
We recommend this recent episode of Rex Murphy’s podcast in which he explores how the Canadian justice system has priced itself beyond the reach of average citizens. This highlights the tremendous need for cost effective innovation that Smartsettle Family Resolutions brings to this industry.
Divorce early in childhood affects parental relationships in adulthood
Divorce has a bigger impact on child-parent relationships if it occurs in the first few years of the child’s life, according to new research. Those who experience parental divorce early in their childhood tend to have more insecure relationships with their parents as adults than those who experience divorce later, researchers say.
Infidelity and Family Mediation
Fidelity is the spoken and unspoken rule of most marriages. There are the vows at the beginning of the marriage. There are ongoing promises of fidelity. Fidelity is required by the culture of marriage, especially here in the United States. Spouses fear infidelity, and for good reason. They see other marriages dissolve as a result of it. Infidelity seems to always have the effect of a fire – uncontrollable and unpredictable. It often destroys a marriage. But does it have to?
This is a very good video interview in which Gary Direfeld answers questions about why seperation and divorce increases in January, explores the seasonal affect on seperating couples, looks at the possible value in waiting , seeking counselling, provides perspective on occassions where leaving is the safe choice.
This is an audio interview entitled “Let’s talk divorce and Marital therapy. It provides 17 minutes with Scott Thompson on CHML.
This is a video which examines the Impact of Divorce “On Children” Video (7 minutes).
A 6 minute video interview. Explores what can happen when “the rose is off the bloom” and couples look at the annoying habits the “other” partner brought to the relationship.
Do parenting differences lead to divorce or make divorce more challenging?
Video discussion on life after relationships. (7 minutes)