Written agreements and guidelines help ensure that all parties clearly understand what a process will entail and what each person's roles and responsibilities are. Each Canadian Co-Parenting Centre uses a variety of forms for a variety of things. Some of them are provided here so that clients can review them, as part of their evaluation of our services, and so that they can complete the relevant ones prior to their first session. Note that customized agreements are created to match the needs of each family, but they are usually based on some standard templates. To view these templates, click on the associated link below.
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Note to other professionals. Please feel free to utilize all or part of these documents. We only ask that you let us know that you are doing so. This then creates an opportunity for collaboration and mutual benefit. Thanks. |
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Intake Form
New Client Intake Form (basic information form)
The New Client Intake Form documents all of the names and contact information for the people associated with a file, and it gathers some general background information. If you review and complete, or partially complete, this form prior to your initial session it will save on valuable session time. Plus, some of the details requested may have to be obtained from documents that you won't be bringing to your first session. Link to online Intake Form. At the beginning of your first meeting, the person that you meet with will review it. If you have not completed a form yet, the person will go through one with you and record the information.
To download the form in Microsoft Word format, click on this link: Intake Form.
Important Note: Please note that the standard questions, at the top of page 3, are just that, standard questions that counselling agencies and private practitioners typically include. We have included this comment to reassure those that are hyper vigilant because of a highly conflicted divorce process and are worried that something might be used against them. As professionals working systemically, it is useful to have a broad, comprehensive understanding of what factors are influencing a family's environment and dynamics.
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Parenting Coordination Definition and Description & Statement of Intention
During your first meeting with us, after we have a bit of background on your situation, we will describe our services, particularly parenting coordination, in a way that relates to your particular situation. If you decide to proceed, you will be asked to sign a statement of intention, that indicates that based on what was described, you want to put the process into place. Once both parents have signed, a Parenting Coordination Agreement will be drafted and provided to both for review. Click on this link to see the Parenting Coordination Definition and Description & Statement of Intention.
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Parenting Coordination Agreement
Canadian Co-Parenting Centres customize each Parenting Coordination Agreement to suit each family's circumstances and needs.
Optimistically, we started off with a fairly simple, two page agreement that minimized the typical legal jargon. Unfortunately, some people were able to thwart the parenting coordination process then continue with behaviours that were inappropriate and harmful to the children and the family. Listed below are links to our original 2 page agreement, a 3 page agreement that we used for many years, and a very long and detailed agreement that was implemented in 2016.
The customization of each Parenting Coordination Agreement primarily involves aspects of the role of the parenting coordinator and sometimes there are some alterations to the scope of the decision making authority.
Original Parenting Coordination Agreement
Pre 2016, 3 page, Parenting Coordination Agreement
Current, very detailed, Parenting Coordination Agreement
For many people, the current Parenting Coordination Agreement will seem daunting, overwhelming, and more than they need. Since it's difficult to determine which people will turn out to be particularly challenging, we put the new detailed Parenting Coordination Agreement in place, even though the details are far more than what many families end up needing, because both parents do their best to follow the advice given and to cooperate with the parenting coordination process. Another benefit of the detailed Parenting Coordination Agreement is that it prevents the agency from being taken advantage of. Preventing our valuable resources from being consumed by difficult people enables the agency to provide services to the majority of people at the lowest possible rate.
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Other Forms
Fee and Deposit Agreement (Link to Fee Information)
Authorization to Contact Other Significant Caregiver
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Counselling For Children
When providing counselling services to children it is usually therapeutically beneficial to have both parents, or all significant caregivers involved. It is also ethically inappropriate to exclude a parent, or provide services without that parent's knowledge. Click here to view our Child Treatment Declaration form.
The Canadian Co-Parenting Centres uses this form to ensure that both parents, and any other significant caregivers*, are aware of the services being considered and that all are in favour of proceeding.
*In some situations, such as longer term common-law relationships, the child or children may have significant relationships with adults who are not a biological or adoptive parent. If someone has been a significant caregiver, and in practical terms been like a parent, then we believe it is appropriate to treat them as such.
If one or more significant caregivers or parents is not available to sign this declaration, or if one of them is not participating in the child or children's treatment, an Authorization To Contact Other Significant Caregiver form will have to be filled out and signed.