Child Support Parenting Time & Decision Making

Wednesday’s Video Clip: Child Support & Access Rights

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKy3kbFTgoY&w=640&h=360]

In this video Kiley discusses child support in relationship to access rights. A parent cannot cut off contact to a child simply because child support is not being paid.

The law assumes that it is usually good for a child to have a relationship with both parents. Keeping a parent from seeing his or her child is considered punishing the child. The law will not punish a child because his or her parent fails to pay child support.

The law gives parents who do not have custody “access” to their children so they can spend time together. Access can be refused or limited only if the parent’s behaviour is likely to harm the child. The courts will not refuse access because the parent does not pay support. And the parent with custody should not refuse access for this reason.

There are other ways to get support from a non-paying parent.

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About the author

Russell Alexander

Russell Alexander is the Founder & Senior Partner of Russell Alexander Collaborative Family Lawyers.