AFCC Alberta Chapter

ALBERTA COURT OF QUEEN’S BENCH

FAMILY LAW PRACTICE NOTE 8

OVERVIEW & UPDATE

November 26, 2020  1- 4 pm - Online Zoom Conference

Presented by: Eileen Ailon, R. Psych. & Shams Amiry

INTENDED AUDIENCE:

This workshop is open to Registered Psychologists, Clinical Social Workers (MSW), Family Mediators, Members of the Judiciary, Family Law Bar Members, Collaborative Family Lawyers, Parenting Coordinators, and students in any of the above disciplines.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Upon successful completion of this course, participants should be able to: 

• Understand the purpose of Practice Note 8 and its implications for mental health professionals and legal professionals

• Understand the processes for Child Custody/Parenting Evaluations, and become aware of ethical and procedural issues

• Become aware of the continuum of applications and possible pitfalls

• Highlight of the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of the Practice Note 8 process

• Understand the principles behind writing service retainer agreements, informed consent, and communicating with the Court

PROGRAM FORMAT AND SCHEDULE:

• Changes to Practice Note 8 – what is different and implications of the changes

• Highlighting the important aspects of Practice Note 8

• Overview of the assessment components 

• Ethical issues and dilemmas arising from the convergence of psychological standards of practice with legal practices and procedures

• Best practices when dealing with self-represented litigants

• Responsibility to monitor and adhere to timelines prescribed by Practice Note 8

• Important considerations regarding Case Conference Meetings held to discuss resolution of the parenting issues

• Risk-management issues: service retainer agreements, informed consent, and communicating with the Court

• Views from a Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench with considerations for mental-health professionals and lawyers

​

Eileen Ailon, Psych. Bio

Eileen Ailon, R. Psych, is an experienced psychologist in the area of working both with individuals and families. She is trained in Assessment of Learning and Development, Assessment of Parenting, as well as in Mediation and Arbitration, primarily with respect to Parenting Coordination. Initially working as a psychologist in a Pediatric Hospital and with School boards, she developed a passion for and expertise in various types of psychological and psychological/educational assessment, as well as in personality assessment, including those cases that involve the assessment of the impact of trauma. Additionally, she studies the efficacy of various treatment formats to meet the needs of diverse clients.

​

For several decades, Eileen Ailon has been a Court appointed Assessor and has also been appointed to engage in Interventions to assist children and families who face challenging family experiences arising out of transitions such as divorce, and separation. She has been called as the Court’s Expert Witness on cases of Child Custody and Parenting as well as Sexual Abuse of Children. She focuses her efforts and skills on the reduction of conflict and the promotion of better outcomes for children and hopefully their families.

​

​

Eileen Ailon has presented and given workshops to mental health professionals, lawyers and judges on issues such as : Best Practices for Interviewing Children, Reunification Interventions with Children and Parents, Alienation of Children from Parents, as well as Assessment, Interventions available and appropriate for families and children moving through conflict within families.

She has been an active member of the Psychologists Association of Alberta, the College of Alberta Psychologists, Alberta Family Mediation Society, and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, holding administrative offices and participating on a number of committees.

AFCC Alberta Members $50; Non-Members $100

You can pay with credit card or PayPal

ALBERTA COURT OF QUEEN’S BENCH

FAMILY LAW PRACTICE NOTE 7

OVERVIEW & UPDATE

January (TBD), 2021  1- 4 pm - Online Zoom Conference

Presented by: Dr. Stephen Carter, Registered Psychologist with a QB Justice and a lawyer

INTENDED AUDIENCE: 

​

This workshop is open to Registered Psychologists, Clinical Social Workers (MSW), Family Mediators, Members of the Judiciary, Family Law Bar Members, Collaborative Family Lawyers, Parenting Coordinators, and students in any of the above disciplines 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 

​

Upon successful completion of this course, participants should be able to: 

• Understand the purpose of Practice Note 7 and its implications for mental health professionals 

• Understand the processes for evaluative and therapeutic interventions and become aware of ethical and procedural issues. 

• Be aware of the continuum of interventions. 

• Distinguish between each of the processes which can be used with separating and divorced families with awareness of strengths, weaknesses and limitations of each process and when their uses are indicated and contraindicated. 

• Understand the principles behind writing service agreements and communicating with the Court. 

PROGRAM FORMAT AND SCHEDULE: 

​

• Changes to Practice Note 7 – what is different and why it changed. 

• Overview of intervention processes; 

• Ethical issues; 

• Risk-management issues: service agreements and communicating with the Court; 

• Evaluative Interventions: 

      Triage 

      The Views/Voice of the Child 

      Parent Psychological Evaluation 

      Child/Adolescent Psychological Evaluation 

      Focused Assessment 

• Therapeutic Interventions: 

      Therapeutic Intervention with One Parent 

      Therapeutic Intervention with Both Parents 

      Therapeutic Intervention with Child Only 

      Therapeutic Intervention with Parents and Children 

       Remedial Facilitated Access/Parent-Child Reunification 

Speaker Bio: Dr. Stephen Carter, Registered Psychologist 

Dr. Carter’s practice involves working with children, teens and adults in counselling and assessment. Stephen works therapeutically with divorced parents to help them reduce conflict, communicate better and to minimize the damage divorce can do to children and also conducts voice of the child evaluations and custody assessments. He has been involved advisory committees addressing changes to past and current versions of the Family Court Practice Notes 7 and 8. Steve is the author of the book “Family Restructuring Therapy” which was published in 2011 by the High Conflict Institute. Dr. Carter has worked, with presented about, families in transition for over 20 years and has delivered workshops on Family Restructuring Therapy in both Canada and the United States. Stephen has been a member of AFCC since 2000.

AFCC Alberta Members $50; Non-Members $100

You can pay with credit card or PayPal

Divorce Act changes coming March 1, 2021

February 4, 2021  1- 4 pm - Online Zoom Conference

Presented by: Shams Amiry and Dr. Terry Singh

AFCC Alberta Members $50; Non-Members $100

You can pay with credit card or PayPal

AFCC Alberta Full Day Conference

SAVE THE DATE!

March 19, 2021  9 am - 4 pm

Online Zoom Conference and Live (Restrictions Permitting)