Summary of Meetings: Children's Law
Number of Meetings Held: 4
September 15, 2025
Registration Count: 40
Guest Speakers: Danica Vance Grimard and Michael Zimmerman
Meeting Title/Topic: The Production of Children’s Counselling Records
Synopsis: Danica Vance Grimard and Michael Zimmerman discuss the general law on disclosure of children’s counselling records, cases where the Court has denied disclosure of children’s counselling records, and safeguards that can be put in place if disclosure of children’s counselling records is ordered.
November 24, 2025
Registration Count: 31
Guest Speakers: Joan Cotie, Dr. Micheal Eltemran, Cori McGuire, and Samantha Simpson
Meeting Title/Topic: Parenting Coordinators and the Best Interests of the Child
Synopsis: Joan Cotie, Dr. Micheal Eltemran, Cori McGuire, and Samantha Simpson discuss how Parenting Coordinators incorporate the best interests of the Child in their work, specifically from the intake process, consensus building, communication, coaching and making determinations.
March 3, 2026
Registration Count: 48
Guest Speakers: Kelly-Anne Breen
Meeting Title/Topic: The Intersection of Addiction and Parenting
Synopsis: In this session, Kelly-Anne Breen discusses how Parent Coaches and Child Specialists can assist co-parents in ensuring that their co-parenting arrangements stay child focused including:
- Exploring how to talk to your children about the separation
- Developing respectful parenting time arrangements
- Learning strategies for conflict de-escalation and boundary setting
- Building tools for consistent, child-focused communication
- Supporting children’s adjustment across two homes
May 22, 2026
Registration Count: 38
Guest Speakers: Dr. Maire Durnin-Goodman
Meeting Title/Topic: Parent Coaches, Child Specialists and Best Interests of the Child
Synopsis: Dr. Marie Durnin-Goodman discusses how counsel can be supported by medical experts in order to assess whether a parent’s addiction issues impact their capacity to parent. Dr. Durnin-Goodman also provides tools that counsel may use to advance or defend against an allegation that a parent does not have the capacity to meet a child’s needs due to addiction issues.