The Family Law Act is currently under review and CBABC is a contributor to the consultation. In a recent submission to the Ministry of Attorney General, we gave our input on how to improve the section 211 reporting process under the Family Law Act.
Our recommendations include:
- Amending the FLA to allow section 211 reports to be ordered earlier and as part of a triage process to allocate resources in proportion to the issues and urgency for resolution;
- Establishing comprehensive, standardized guidelines to ordering, preparing, and receiving section 211 reports; and
- Mandating family violence screening and assessment training for lawyers and report writers
The submission was informed by views and experiences shared by our members, as well as roundtables that engaged seasoned family law professionals (including judges, lawyers, psychologists, social workers and family justice counsellors) who work with section 211 reports in their practice.
Improving family law in BC is a key priority for CBABC. We have consistently provided recommendations to the BC government, leading up to and following the enactment of the Family Law Act in 2013. We look forward to engaging further continue to engage in the government consultation to modernize the FLA and offer these recommendations around parenting arrangements, childcare, and related topics.