Lisa Heslop, Kim Harris and Katreena Scott
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Recognizing the Importance of Family Violence for Children's Best Interests in Family Law Contexts
This Webinar was presented and recorded on April 28, 2026.
Screening for family violence (FV) is the first step in keeping parents who have experienced FV and their children safer. This webinar provided an overview of why family legal professionals should screen for FV, what holds us back and what screening tools will help standardize the process. Moving beyond screening, the panel introduced a new online assessment guide—the e-SAFeR—that is designed to help family law professionals create parenting plan recommendations that account for FV and forefront the safety of the children and the parent who experienced FV.
The e-SAFeR guides legal professionals’ assessment of each element of the best interests of the children—according with the federal or provincial/territorial statue being used—including the nature, severity and frequency of FV, coercive control, the impact of FV on the parent who experienced FV and their children, as well as assessing change in the parent who engaged in FV.
Webinar Recording
Learning Objectives
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Gain a better understanding of children’s best interests in family law cases where there has been family violence
- Enhance understanding of the importance of screening for family violence in the context of family litigation
- Learn about a new guide for assessing the nature, severity and impact of family violence—the e-SAFeR
Speakers

Dr. Lisa Heslop is a research partner at the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children (CREVAWC), Western University, where she co-leads initiatives related to family violence and family law, including Awareness to Action, Moving from screening and assessment to developing appropriate parenting plans after family violence in the family justice system. She is the co-author of articles and book chapters related to gender-based violence and its impact; trauma and violence informed practice; and the criminalization of persons with mental illness. She is consultant at Navigating Onward, London Family Court Clinic and a member of the Clinical Panel of the Office of the Children’s Lawyer.

Dr. Kim Harris is a registered forensic and clinical psychologist in the province of Ontario and is the Executive Director of NavOn. She is also adjunct professor in the Faculty of Education and Faculty of Social Science at Western University. Currently, Dr. Harris is the Immediate Past President of the Ontario Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC). Dr. Harris has a diverse practice that includes assessment and consultation for individuals across the lifespan and their families involved in the legal system, addressing issues such as mental health, trauma and family violence, voice of the child, violence risk, parenting capacity, and parenting time and responsibilities. Dr. Harris has been declared an expert witness in Family Court, Criminal Court, and Civil Court matters. Dr. Harris provides intervention to children, youth, and families who are in conflict with the law and families involved in protracted disputes following separation and divorce. Dr. Harris engages in teaching, training, and program development in family assessments and family therapy, domestic violence, and forensic issues. Dr. Harris is part of the AFCC Ontario Working Group that is currently updating the Parenting Plan Guide and Template. Dr. Harris is a member of National Domestic Violence Community of Practice coordinated by the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children at Western University. Dr. Harris supervises graduate students and has co-authored papers in several scholarly journals, two book chapters, and a variety of publications for clinical practice and training.

Dr. Katreena Scott is a Psychologist, Professor and Academic Director of the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children at Western University. Dr. Scott leads an applied research program aimed at ending violence in family relationships, with specific expertise on addressing violence perpetration in men. She is internationally known for her research on empirically and ethically sound policies and practices for intervening with men who have used violence against their partners and/or children. Dr. Scott holds the Tier I Canada Research Chair in Ending Child Abuse and Domestic Violence.
Reconnaître l’importance de la violence familiale pour l’intérêt supérieur de l’enfant dans les contextes du droit de la famille
Ce webinaire a été présenté et enregistré le 28 avril 2026.
Le dépistage de la violence familiale (VF) constitue la première étape pour accroître la sécurité des parents ayant vécu de la VF et de leurs enfants. Ce webinaire a fourni un survol des raisons pour lesquelles les professionnel·les du droit de la famille devraient effectuer un dépistage de la VF, des obstacles qui nous freinent ainsi que des outils de dépistage permettant de standardiser le processus. Au-delà du dépistage, le panel a présenté un nouveau guide d’évaluation en ligne—e-SAFeR—conçu pour aider les professionnel·les du droit de la famille à formuler des recommandations de plan de parentage qui tiennent compte de la VF et qui priorisent clairement la sécurité des enfants et du parent ayant vécu de la VF.
Le guide e-SAFeR oriente l’évaluation, par les professionnel·les du droit de la famille, de chaque élément représentant l’intérêt supérieur de l’enfant—conformément à la loi fédérale ou provinciale/territoriale applicable—dont la nature, la gravité et la fréquence de la VF, le contrôle coercitif, les répercussions de la VF sur le parent ayant vécu de la VF et sur ses enfants, ainsi que l’évaluation des changements chez le parent ayant exercé de la VF.
Enregistrement du webinaire
Objectifs d'apprentissage
À la fin de cette présentation, les participants seront en mesure de :
- Mieux comprendre l'intérêt de l'enfant dans les affaires de droit de la famille où des violences familiales ont été constatées
- Mieux saisir l'importance du dépistage des violences familiales dans le cadre des litiges familiaux
- Découvrir un nouveau guide permettant d'évaluer la nature, la gravité et les conséquences des violences familiales : le guide e-SAFeR
Conférencières
La Dre Lisa Heslop est partenaire de recherche au Centre de recherche et d’éducation sur la violence contre les femmes et les enfants (CREVAWC), à l’Université Western, où elle codirige des initiatives liées à la violence familiale et au droit de la famille, notamment Sensibilisation à l’action et Passer du dépistage et de l’évaluation à l’élaboration de plans parentaux appropriés après la violence familiale dans le système de justice familiale. Elle est coauteure d’articles et de chapitres d’ouvrages portant sur la violence fondée sur le sexe et ses répercussions; la pratique tenant compte des traumatismes et de la violence; et la criminalisation des personnes ayant une maladie mentale. Elle est consultante chez Navigating Onward, ainsi qu’auprès de la London Family Court Clinic, et membre du comité des services cliniques du Bureau de l’avocat des enfants.
La Dre Kim Harris est psychologue clinicienne et psychologue judiciaire autorisée dans la province de l’Ontario, et elle est directrice générale de NavOn. Elle est également professeure associée à la Faculté d’éducation et à la Faculté des sciences sociales, à l’Université Western. Actuellement, la Dre Harris est présidente sortante de la section ontarienne de l’Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC). La Dre Harris a une pratique diversifiée qui comprend l’évaluation et la consultation auprès de personnes de tous âges et de leurs familles impliquées dans le système judiciaire, en abordant des enjeux tels que la santé mentale, les traumatismes et la violence familiale, les points de vue de l’enfant, le risque de violence, la capacité parentale et le temps parental et responsabilités parentales. La Dre Harris a été reconnue comme témoin expert devant le tribunal de la famille, le tribunal pénal et le tribunal civil. La Dre Harris offre des interventions auprès d’enfants, d’adolescent·e·s et de familles en conflit avec la loi, ainsi que de familles engagées dans des différends prolongés à la suite d’une séparation et d’un divorce. La Dre Harris participe à l’enseignement, à la formation et à l’élaboration de programme en matière d’évaluation familiale et de thérapie familiale, de violence familiale et d’enjeux judiciaires. La Dre Harris fait partie du groupe de travail ontarien de l’AFCC qui procède actuellement à la mise à jour du Guide et modèle de plan de parentage. La Dre Harris est membre de la Communauté de pratique nationale sur la violence familiale coordonnée par le Centre de recherche et d’éducation sur la violence contre l es femmes et les enfants, à l'Université Western. La Dre Harris supervise des étudiant·e·s aux cycles supérieurs et a corédigé des articles dans plusieurs revues savantes, deux chapitres d'ouvrages et diverses publications destinées à la pratique clinique et à la formation.
La Dre Katreena Scott est psychologue, professeur et directrice académique du Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children de l'université Western. Katreena Scott dirige un programme de recherche appliquée visant à mettre fin à la violence dans les relations familiales, avec une expertise spécifique dans la lutte contre la violence chez les hommes. Elle est connue à l'échelle internationale pour ses recherches sur les politiques et les pratiques empiriques et éthiques permettant d'intervenir auprès des hommes qui ont utilisé la violence contre leur partenaire et/ou leurs enfants. Mme Scott est titulaire de la Chaire de recherche du Canada de niveau I sur l'élimination de la maltraitance des enfants et de la violence familiale.
Recognizing the Importance of Family Violence for Children's Best Interests in Family Law Contexts
This Webinar was presented and recorded on April 28, 2026.
Screening for family violence (FV) is the first step in keeping parents who have experienced FV and their children safer. This webinar provided an overview of why family legal professionals should screen for FV, what holds us back and what screening tools will help standardize the process. Moving beyond screening, the panel introduced a new online assessment guide—the e-SAFeR—that is designed to help family law professionals create parenting plan recommendations that account for FV and forefront the safety of the children and the parent who experienced FV.
The e-SAFeR guides legal professionals’ assessment of each element of the best interests of the children—according with the federal or provincial/territorial statue being used—including the nature, severity and frequency of FV, coercive control, the impact of FV on the parent who experienced FV and their children, as well as assessing change in the parent who engaged in FV.
Webinar Recording
Learning Objectives
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Gain a better understanding of children’s best interests in family law cases where there has been family violence
- Enhance understanding of the importance of screening for family violence in the context of family litigation
- Learn about a new guide for assessing the nature, severity and impact of family violence—the e-SAFeR
Speakers

Dr. Lisa Heslop is a research partner at the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children (CREVAWC), Western University, where she co-leads initiatives related to family violence and family law, including Awareness to Action, Moving from screening and assessment to developing appropriate parenting plans after family violence in the family justice system. She is the co-author of articles and book chapters related to gender-based violence and its impact; trauma and violence informed practice; and the criminalization of persons with mental illness. She is consultant at Navigating Onward, London Family Court Clinic and a member of the Clinical Panel of the Office of the Children’s Lawyer.

Dr. Kim Harris is a registered forensic and clinical psychologist in the province of Ontario and is the Executive Director of NavOn. She is also adjunct professor in the Faculty of Education and Faculty of Social Science at Western University. Currently, Dr. Harris is the Immediate Past President of the Ontario Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC). Dr. Harris has a diverse practice that includes assessment and consultation for individuals across the lifespan and their families involved in the legal system, addressing issues such as mental health, trauma and family violence, voice of the child, violence risk, parenting capacity, and parenting time and responsibilities. Dr. Harris has been declared an expert witness in Family Court, Criminal Court, and Civil Court matters. Dr. Harris provides intervention to children, youth, and families who are in conflict with the law and families involved in protracted disputes following separation and divorce. Dr. Harris engages in teaching, training, and program development in family assessments and family therapy, domestic violence, and forensic issues. Dr. Harris is part of the AFCC Ontario Working Group that is currently updating the Parenting Plan Guide and Template. Dr. Harris is a member of National Domestic Violence Community of Practice coordinated by the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children at Western University. Dr. Harris supervises graduate students and has co-authored papers in several scholarly journals, two book chapters, and a variety of publications for clinical practice and training.
Dr. Katreena Scott is a Psychologist, Professor and Academic Director of the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children at Western University. Dr. Scott leads an applied research program aimed at ending violence in family relationships, with specific expertise on addressing violence perpetration in men. She is internationally known for her research on empirically and ethically sound policies and practices for intervening with men who have used violence against their partners and/or children. Dr. Scott holds the Tier I Canada Research Chair in Ending Child Abuse and Domestic Violence.
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