Dealing with Parental Access in Toronto

Dealing with parental access can be a challenging and emotional process, both for the parents and the children involved. Parental access, also known as visitation or parenting time, refers to the right of a non-custodial parent to spend time with their child. It is a crucial aspect of co-parenting and helps maintain a healthy relationship between the child and both parents.

Parental access is something that many parents take for granted. Being able to see your child on a daily basis and being able to interact with him or her cuts to the heart of parenting. Unfortunately, not all parents are cut out to be a part of their children’s lives – and even more unfortunately, some who are qualified are often placed in a position where they have to fight for that right. If you have children and you are going through a divorce, you might find that you have to deal with issues of access as well as custody.

What is Parental Access?

It is important to note the difference between access and custody. While custody tends to denote the day to day care of a child, access tends to refer to the ability to know about a child’s life and interact with him or her. When a couple is married, both parties have access to the child. When a relationship is not formalized or it comes to an end, though, the issue of access becomes far more difficult to determine and requires the work of divorce lawyers.

Determining Who Has Access

In Toronto, parental access is typically determined through a parenting plan or a court order. The parenting plan outlines the schedule for the child’s time with each parent, while a court order is a legally binding agreement that outlines the same details.  If the parents are unable to come to an agreement on their own, they may seek the help of a mediator or apply to the court for a decision.  The standard for determining access is always the best interests of the child. The court generally wants to make sure that any access by the parent is done in a way that will not cause harm to the child. The attitudes and views of the parent are considered, as are his or her actions and living situation. The court’s job is to make sure that the child is safe and cared for, even if doing so means that one parent or the other is not able to see the child.

Free Consultation with a Child Custody Attorney

If you have issues involving child custody or access, it is important that you work those issues out through the proper legal channels. The best way to do so is to work with a family law attorney who has experience in dealing with access issues. Child access is an important part of a parent’s life, and it is only natural that any part would want to work with an attorney who will zealously defend his or her right to be part of his or her child’s life. As such, only the most qualified attorneys are worthy of your time and patronage.

A parent’s access to his or her child is something that should always be taken seriously. If you find yourself in a situation where your access is threatened or you believe that another party’s access to your child would be harmful, you should speak to a Toronto family lawyer as soon as possible. The faster you move towards asserting your parental access rights, the better your child’s life will be.

Request a free phone consultation with our child custody lawyers.