Hidden Costs: Understanding the Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Child Support

Webinar

Presenter: Professor Michael Saini

Professor Michael Saini from the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and cross-appointed with the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto. He holds the endowed Factor-Inwentash Chair in Law and Social Work, the Co-Director of the combined J.D. / M.S.W. program and the Coordinator of the Children and Families Field of Study. Prof. Saini has over 200 publications, including books, published articles, and book chapters that address children’s and families’ well-being in systems governed by law. He is the President-Elect of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), a Board Member of Access for Parents and Children of Ontario (APCO), Family Mediation Canada (FMC), the Canadian Coalition of the Rights of the Child (CCRC) and an Associate Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers. In 2019, he was awarded the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts’ Stanley Cohen Distinguished Research Award, sponsored by the Oregon Family Institute.

Abstract: Professor Michael Saini will investigate the complex interplay between Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and child support issues, shedding light on the hidden costs borne by families and society at large. Drawing from empirical data and qualitative analysis, this webinar will explore the multifaceted consequences of IPV on child support dynamics.  Based on parents’ experiences, the webinar will consider the legal, mental health, and financial strain when IPV impacts parents’ ability to secure child support post-separation and divorce.

An assessment of the legal mechanisms in place to address child support in IPV situations, including the effectiveness of enforcement measures will be considered. In addition, the webinar will feature a review of existing support services, including their accessibility, effectiveness, and gaps in provision for IPV-affected families. Professor Saini will reveal a web of hidden costs associated with IPV’s impact on child support, extending beyond the financial realm to encompass emotional trauma, legal complexities, and societal burdens and will underscore the urgent need for a holistic approach to addressing child support issues within a family violence framework, integrating legal, financial, and psychological support to mitigate the profound and lasting effects on families.

This session has been accredited by the Law Society of Ontario for one hour and 15 minutes of professionalism content