{"id":157,"date":"2025-07-27T20:15:05","date_gmt":"2025-07-27T20:15:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/?p=157"},"modified":"2025-07-28T18:30:17","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T18:30:17","slug":"post-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/27\/post-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Child Custody and Parenting Time in OntarioPost 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Ontario, child custody and parenting time are among the most sensitive and important issues that arise during a separation or divorce. These terms govern how decisions are made about a child\u2019s upbringing and how much time each parent spends with their child. While each family\u2019s situation is unique, Ontario\u2019s legal framework prioritizes the&nbsp;<strong>best interests of the child<\/strong>&nbsp;in all custody and access decisions..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\">Learn more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About Child Custody and Parenting Time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As of&nbsp;<strong>March 1, 2021<\/strong>, Canadian family law terminology changed to better reflect parenting responsibilities. The terms \u201ccustody\u201d and \u201caccess\u201d have been replaced with&nbsp;<strong>\u201cdecision-making responsibility\u201d<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>\u201cparenting time\u201d<\/strong>&nbsp;under the&nbsp;<strong>Divorce Act<\/strong>. However, in Ontario\u2019s&nbsp;<strong>Children\u2019s Law Reform Act<\/strong>, the terms custody and access may still be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Decision-making responsibility<\/strong>&nbsp;refers to a parent\u2019s authority to make important decisions about the child\u2019s welfare, including matters related to health, education, religion, and culture.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Parenting time<\/strong>&nbsp;refers to the time a child spends in the care of a parent, regardless of whether the child is physically with that parent or supervised by another caregiver designated by that parent.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Types of Parenting Arrangements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ontario courts recognize various parenting arrangements based on the child\u2019s best interests:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sole Decision-Making Responsibility<\/strong>: One parent has the exclusive right to make major decisions about the child\u2019s life.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Joint Decision-Making Responsibility<\/strong>: Both parents share decision-making duties and must cooperate on major issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Shared Parenting Time<\/strong>: The child spends at least 40% of the time with each parent.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Split Parenting Time<\/strong>: Each parent has one or more children primarily residing with them (applies in families with more than one child).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Determining the Best Interests of the Child<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under Ontario law, all decisions related to custody and parenting time must be made in accordance with the&nbsp;<strong>best interests of the child<\/strong>. Factors considered by the court include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The child\u2019s physical, emotional, and psychological safety<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The nature and strength of the child\u2019s relationship with each parent and other key individuals<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Each parent\u2019s ability and willingness to care for the child<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The child\u2019s views and preferences, where appropriate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The history of care and upbringing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Any family violence or risk thereof<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s Next?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Navigating parenting arrangements during or after separation can be legally complex and emotionally challenging. Whether you are seeking to negotiate a parenting plan or respond to an application before the court, it is essential to understand your rights and obligations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We recommend speaking with a qualified family law professional to ensure that your child\u2019s best interests are protected and your parental rights are respected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Need Help with a Custody or Parenting Time Issue?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At&nbsp;<strong>Amandi Law<\/strong>, our family law team is experienced in guiding clients through all aspects of child custody and parenting time. We work with compassion, clarity, and legal precision to help you achieve the best possible outcome for you and your child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Contact us today<\/strong>&nbsp;to schedule a confidential consultation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/photo_2025-07-27_23-48-06-min-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-79\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/photo_2025-07-27_23-48-06-min-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/photo_2025-07-27_23-48-06-min-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/photo_2025-07-27_23-48-06-min-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/photo_2025-07-27_23-48-06-min.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Understanding Child Custody and Parenting Time in Ontario<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Modern Legal Terms<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Focus on the Child\u2019s Best Interests<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tailored Parenting Arrangements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Ontario, child custody and parenting time focus on what\u2019s best for the child during separation or divorce. Legal terms have changed to \u201cdecision-making responsibility\u201d and \u201cparenting time,\u201d reflecting a modern approach to parenting roles. Courts consider various factors\u2014such as the child\u2019s well-being, parental relationships, and history of care\u2014when determining arrangements. At Amandi Law, we provide compassionate legal guidance to help parents navigate custody issues and protect their rights and their child\u2019s best interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-comments\">\n\n\n\n\n\n\t<div id=\"respond\" class=\"comment-respond wp-block-post-comments-form\">\n\t\t<h3 id=\"reply-title\" class=\"comment-reply-title\">Leave a Reply <small><a rel=\"nofollow\" id=\"cancel-comment-reply-link\" href=\"\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157#respond\" style=\"display:none;\">Cancel reply<\/a><\/small><\/h3><form action=\"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/wp-comments-post.php\" method=\"post\" id=\"commentform\" class=\"comment-form\"><p class=\"comment-notes\"><span id=\"email-notes\">Your email address will not be published.<\/span> <span class=\"required-field-message\">Required fields are marked <span class=\"required\">*<\/span><\/span><\/p><p class=\"comment-form-comment\"><label for=\"comment\">Comment <span class=\"required\">*<\/span><\/label> <textarea id=\"comment\" name=\"comment\" cols=\"45\" rows=\"8\" maxlength=\"65525\" required><\/textarea><\/p><p class=\"comment-form-author\"><label for=\"author\">Name <span class=\"required\">*<\/span><\/label> <input id=\"author\" name=\"author\" type=\"text\" value=\"\" size=\"30\" maxlength=\"245\" autocomplete=\"name\" required \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"comment-form-email\"><label for=\"email\">Email <span class=\"required\">*<\/span><\/label> <input id=\"email\" name=\"email\" type=\"email\" value=\"\" size=\"30\" maxlength=\"100\" aria-describedby=\"email-notes\" autocomplete=\"email\" required \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"comment-form-url\"><label for=\"url\">Website<\/label> <input id=\"url\" name=\"url\" type=\"url\" value=\"\" size=\"30\" maxlength=\"200\" autocomplete=\"url\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"comment-form-cookies-consent\"><input id=\"wp-comment-cookies-consent\" name=\"wp-comment-cookies-consent\" type=\"checkbox\" value=\"yes\" \/> <label for=\"wp-comment-cookies-consent\">Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.<\/label><\/p>\n<p class=\"form-submit\"><input name=\"submit\" type=\"submit\" id=\"submit\" class=\"submit\" value=\"Post Comment\" \/> <input type='hidden' name='comment_post_ID' value='157' id='comment_post_ID' \/>\n<input type='hidden' name='comment_parent' id='comment_parent' value='0' \/>\n<\/p><\/form>\t<\/div><!-- #respond -->\n\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In Ontario, child custody and parenting time are among the most sensitive and important issues that arise during a separation or divorce. These terms govern how decisions are made about a child\u2019s upbringing and how much time each parent spends with their child. While each family\u2019s situation is unique, Ontario\u2019s legal framework prioritizes the&nbsp;best interests [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":162,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=157"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":317,"href":"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157\/revisions\/317"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=157"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=157"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bawku260.svalphawp.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}