Services – Children

In any separation, the true victims are often the children involved.

We, at Vilene Jacobs Attorneys make the voice of the children part of the divorce process. We insist on sending the children of our separating clients to a child therapist, who will talk to the children to establish what their fears and understandings of the parental conflict are.

This is in agreement with section 10 of the Children’s Act which states the following: Every child that is of such an age, maturity and stage of development as to be able to participate in any matter concerning that child, has the right to participate in an appropriate way and the views expressed by the child must be given due consideration.

The “voice of the child” practice is a very meaningful step during the negotiation process. Thus far, all our clients have expressed their gratitude for making this service available to them.

We work with therapists who are specifically trained in the “voice of the child” process. They make use of the Voice of the Child Toolkit that was developed by, Dr Ronel Duchen and Mrs Irma Schutte, experienced in family law matters involving children.

After the children visited the play therapist for three sessions, the therapist will provide feedback during a session where both parents are present. It is essential for parents to hear how their children are really coping with the situation since most children lack the ability to communicate their true emotions. Yes, even school aged children struggle to express their true sentiments, concerns and grief. Giving the children an opportunity to speak openly to an outside party makes their input significantly more honest and valuable, with their concerns, hopes and fears being accessible in a safe and constructive environment.

The therapist will also provide the parents with tailormade advice on how to co-parent during the turbulent days ahead. The feedback from the children is then incorporated into the mediation process.