CHILD & YOUTH COUNSELLING FOR COURT-INVOLVED FAMILIES

Child & Youth Counselling for Court-Involved Families

INITIAL RETAINER REQUIRED: $1,440.00 + 20.00% Administration / 10.00% Contingency Retainer (PER CHILD) – FORMAL ESTIMATE TO BE PROVIDED

Children and youth involved in a separation, divorce, or other family conflict are often unintentionally (or intentionally) caught in the middle of the disputes of their parents, guardians, and/or extended family members. Supporting them in navigating their changing family dynamic and in managing their own emotions and feelings during this time is critical, but many counsellors are either untrained or understandably reluctant to engage with court-involved families for fear of reprisal or being “dragged in” to the conflict themselves, even if protections are in place for them such as court orders, the appointment of a Parenting Coordinator, or a clear scope of work/service outlined by the parties’ legal counsel. For the purposes of defining what a “court-involved family” is, these are services for adults, children, youth, partners and families involved in previous,
active, or future litigation, have legal representation, receive services from a Parenting Coordinator, and/or have been directed to receive service by the court(s) and/or as part of mediation/arbitration. With over three decades of experience providing specialized counselling services and working with high-conflict families, as well as an extensive background in child protection, Leanne understands the complexities of these family dynamics. She offers a child-centred approach that allows children and youth to receive the support they need at the time they need it, while also offering a customized approach to meet the unique needs of each family and is highly in-tune with the nature of working with clients in this area of service. Approaches depending on the readiness/willingness/ability of the parents/guardians to support their children or youth can involve Parent Information Sessions to assist separated or divorced parents and new partners/spouses (if applicable) in ensuring the tools and skills learned in the sessions with the children or youth are supported in each respective home, working with legal counsel and/or Parenting Coordinators to provide updates and clinical opinions, or simply direct support to the children or youth with no parental involvement. These services can also flow seamlessly between other services Leanne provides, such as recommendations and action planning with respect to Co-Parenting, Family Reunification, or Parent-Child Contact.

Prior to commencing counselling services for children and youth that are part of a court-involved family, the parents/legal guardians must both consent to the children or youth (if under 19) receiving counselling services, complete the intake form, approve a formal estimate, and sign a Professional Services Agreement and Non-Disclosure Agreement. Sample agreements the parties would be expected to sign are available on the Resources page of this site. Please note that payment of a retainer in-full is required prior to service commencing, and any balances owing upon completion must be remitted prior to deliverables being provided or continued service.

A preliminary timeline will be established for scheduling sessions and provided to the parties and/or their legal counsel. Please note that firm completion dates of service are never provided, as many factors can contribute to delays such as: the willingness and cooperation of the parties/legal counsel to participate; the availability of parties for sessions; court proceedings that may hinder or cease counselling services; and, the specific needs of each child or youth receiving service. For example, these could include learning/cognitive disabilities, the ages and stages of development, the types of modalities being used in sessions, and so on.

These services are typically ordered by courts and/or through the parents’ legal counsel. Counselling services of this nature are not mental health assessments, nor a parental assessment. It is an entirely clinical, child-centred process that can not be swayed or influenced by either parent or their legal counsel.

If you have any further questions about Child & Youth Counselling for Court-Involved Families, please do not hesitate to contact Leanne using the contact form on this site. If this type of service would benefit your client’s case, or if you feel it would benefit your own case, please complete the intake form. Please note that prior to proceeding, both parties must complete the intake form. Counselling must be consented to by all parents/legal guardians of the child(ren) or youth involved, and in absence of consent or agreement, must be ordered through legal counsel and/or by an order of the court/consent agreement.