Access To Your Children

The child should spend sufficient time with both parents regardless of them being separated or divorced. The child should spend enough time in order to create a meaningful relationship with each parent. The child’s primary place of residence will decide the parent whom he/she spends the majority of time with. The other parent will be given the right to access the child.

What is Access?

The right of the parent to spend time with the child is called access to the child. Usually, this right is exercised by the parent who is not living with the child. This right to access shall be on fixed or flexible depending upon the agreement between you and your ex-partner.

All parents shall also have access to the child’s health, education and well-being. A parent shall have written permission to gain access to hospital records. The right to access information shall also be given to step-parents, grandparents or other near relative as agreed upon.

Creating A Parenting Agreement

The parents will create an agreement on accessibility and custodial rights for their children. If the parents cannot complete an agreement, then a professional like a “Mediator” or family law lawyers can help negotiate the agreement terms. Parents can access mediation services privately or from a Family Court location in Ontario. For court assisted mediation, the service fee is calculated based on the income of the parents and parents can get 2 hours of free mediation services if there is an on-going Court case.

Access and Child Support Are Separate

Child Support and access are mutually exclusive and independent of each other. Sometimes a parent providing child support may be denied access to the child by the Courts but the parent with custody cannot deny the access to the other parent without a reasonable cause such as notable safety concerns. This parent may have to make a report to the Children’s Aid Society to protect the best interest of the child.