Stream B
5:00 pm to 7:50 pm
Implementing the Voice of Youth Experiencing Parental Separation
1. Adverse Childhood Experience research confirms that the formal separation & divorce process can exacerbate parental conflict and anxiety causing trauma in children with significant long term effects.
2. The UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child and the "best interests" test in provincial and federal legislation support the importance of children's views and participation.
3. Yet, from the perspective of the children, there remains a gap between these values and their experience of being listened to, engaged and respected in decisions that effect their future.
4. Being left out of discussions that significantly impact their lives can harm children's well-being; engaging with them about concerns can be healthy and empowering.
This three-hour session will have two parts. The first part is a dialogue between youth and system professionals (family lawyers, mediators, and mental health practitioners). Young people will share powerful stories of their parents' separation and system practitioners will share their experience and approaches to gathering and implementing the voice of youth.
The second part is interactive; you are invited to participate in small groups to develop and refine practice frameworks that incorporate seeking, hearing, and acting on the views of children and child participation.
Rahul Aggarwal — Rahul Aggarwal Law Corporation, Vancouver
Dr. Marilyn R. Beloff — Child Specialist, Divorce Coach, Section 211 Assessor and author of "View of the Child Reports," Vancouver
Kari D. Boyle — BC Family Justice Innovation Lab, North Vancouver
Zoe Stryd — Public Education Coordinator, Mediate BC, Vancouver
Andrea Yeo — Registered Clinical Counsellor, Starfish Counselling Services, North Vancouver
Plus three members of the Youth Voices leadership team. These are young people who experienced parental separation as children and are passionate about making positive change in the justice system. Their names and photos are not being advertised for privacy reasons.