Meeting with Children: A Child-Centred Approach for Judges (ID 26.07)
Course Overview
Live Tutorials and Practice Sessions
| Session | Date | Time | Location | Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orientation Video Available | 24 April 2026 | 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (Calgary time) | Online | Online |
| In-Room Training | 2 May 2026 | 9:00 am – 4:30 pm (Calgary time) | Canmore | In Person |
The Meeting with Children: A Child Centred Approach™ for Judges program outlines a strategy for a child meeting with a judicial officer. This program is primarily designed to provide Judges with an opportunity to meet with a child in a simple, replicable, and meaningful way, using a specific protocol. It is proposed that the Meeting with Children™ for Judges program can be implemented within existing structures of family courts.
The course is supported by a manual which combines both a theoretical overview and a practical guide to five steps towards meeting with a child/you:
1) Instructing Parents,
2) Preparation
3) Welcoming and Orienting the Young Person
4) Introduction to the Projective Activity and
5) Bringing the Child’s Voice back to Court.
The five steps help Judges to focus on specific tasks necessary to move through a child-centred meeting process from beginning to end.
Who is the Course for?
- Judges working within the Canadian Family Law jurisdiction.
- Judges working within Family Law jurisdictions outside of Canada.
Location
We have a purpose-built training space in Canmore, Alberta.
The address is 909 Spring Creek Drive, Canmore T1W 1P2
- Course Code 26.07
- Course Fee 900
Presenter
Jon GrahamBCom LLB BA(Psych) Grad Dip FDR
Jon Graham is a Nationally Accredited Mediator (Australia), a Registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (Family Mediator), Child Consultant, and Parenting Coordinator based in Sydney, Australia. Jon’s career has spanned working with families and young people for over 35 years. For more than 25 years Jon has worked in Dispute Resolution, particularly in Family Law. In addition, Jon has developed a practice in the facilitation of restorative meetings for receipt of meaningful apology for incidents of institutional abuse, violence and neglect in families, workplaces and through restorative engagement processes.Jon is Co-Director of the International Centre for Children and Family Law, a provider of training and supervision programs for practitioners working with complex families and children both in Australia and Internationally. Jon is also the Director of the Institute of Specialist Dispute Resolution, a provider of tailored dispute resolution processes tailored to work with clients with complex needs.
In collaboration with Dr Lorri Yasenik, Jon has created a new approach to the voice of children known as the “Meeting with Children Approach”. Together with Lorri, Jon is published in the Family Court Review, and is the author of books and manuals associated with the Meeting with Children program.
Lorri YasenikLorri Yasenik, PhD, RPT-S Calgary, Canada
Lorri is in private practice and provides child and Play Therapy, Family Mediation and Parenting Coordination. Lorri is the Co-Director of the International Centre for Children and Family Law, a centre established for the training and development of family law professionals in engaging with children of separation and divorce in a safe and authentic manner. Lorri is a regular presenter at national and international conferences and training events on the voice of children and youth in family law. Lorri is also the Director of Rocky Mountain Play Therapy Institute which delivers approved training for those seeking registration in Play Therapy.Lorri is a Registered Supervisor of Child Psychotherapy and Play Therapy and delivers certified play therapy training programs internationally in the areas of child and play therapy and child inclusive practice. Lorri is the past president of AFCC AB Chapter and is a Registered PC and Family Mediator and is an Honorary Fellow at Deakin University in Australia.
Local Time
- Timezone: America/New_York
- Date: May 02 2026
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