FORENSIC EVALUATION | s. 30
Section 30 — Miller Mediation & Arbitration
Overview
A Section 30 assessment (Children’s Law Reform Act, Ontario) is a comprehensive evaluation around one or two salient issues pertaining to Best Interests. Its purpose is to assist parents, counsel, and the court in understanding the child’s needs, the family dynamics, and the parenting arrangements that best promote the child’s well‑being.
Purpose of a Section 30 Assessment
- Provide an objective, child‑centred analysis of family functioning
- Offer evidence‑based recommendations for parenting time and decision‑making
- Clarify the needs, vulnerabilities, and strengths of the children
- Identify risks, protective factors, and areas requiring support
- Assist in high‑conflict matters by grounding decisions in expert evaluation
Scope of the Assessment
A Section 30 assessment may include:
- Parent interviews (individual and joint)
- Interviews with children (age‑appropriate)
- Home/Office observations
- Collateral information (teachers, doctors, therapists)
- Psychometric, Psychological testing where clinically appropriate
- Review of court materials and relevant history
What a Section 30 Assessment *Does Not* Do
- Does not replace judicial decision‑making
- Does not provide therapy or treatment
- Does not intervene in day‑to‑day disputes (this is PC territory)
- Does not function as ongoing support or coaching
- Does not adjudicate — it informs, it does not determine
Ideal Use Cases
Section 30 assessments are most helpful when:
- Parents cannot agree on major parenting issues
- There are concerns about a child's emotional, psychological, or developmental needs
- There are allegations of risk, conflict, or parenting deficits that require expert evaluation
- The court or the parties need an objective, clinical lens to move forward
Relationship to Mediation / PC
A Section 30 assessment is a *foundational* clinical report. It can:
- Assist mediation by clarifying the child’s needs
- Reduce conflict by grounding discussions in evidence
- Provide a roadmap that later supports Parenting Coordination (if required)
It is not a substitute for agreement-building or micro‑intervention processes.