Federal Child Support Guidelines

Children need financial support from their parents – and they have a legal right to it. When parents separate or divorce, they should try to agree on the amount of child support. If they ask a court to decide, the court will use guidelines to determine child support payments. The Federal Child Support Guidelines are a set of rules and tables used to determine child support when parents divorce. They are the law.

The Co-Parenting Survival Guide

You may be winning the battle in court, but losing the war at home, saddened at the wounds your children bear as a result of this conflict. But you can learn to build a parenting partnership with your former mate in spite of the history between you. This guide shows you how to avoid the hot spots and the common traps and develop skills to sustain a co-parenting partnership based on love and concern for your children, so they can best benefit from two parents living separately but working together.

Does Wednesday Mean Mom’s House or Dad’s?

Thorough in coverage and updated with topics that affect today's families, This book helps you keep your children in the number-one, priority spot before, during, and after your divorce. Nonjudgmental in tone, the new edition will show you how to put your kids' best interests first as you work with your spouse to parent together while living apart.

Shared Parenting: Raising Your Child Cooperatively After Separation

This practical book provides straightforward co-parenting advice to parents facing separation or divorce who wish to pursue the shared parenting approach. The authors emphasize the importance of children having significant time with both parents, allowing them to maintain meaningful relationships. By presenting the benefits and challenges, debunking the myths, giving practical tips on communication, and providing concrete tools, this book steers parents past their personal feelings toward a successful resolution in everyone’s best interest.

Parenting Apart

This comprehensive and empowering guide is filled with practical, effective ways to minimize the effects of divorce on children, and offers immediate solutions to the most critical parenting problems divorce brings. In this go-to resource, Christina McGhee addresses the issues of utmost importance to parents. Offering advice on explaining things to every age group-from toddlers to teenagers-in plain, consistent, and age-appropriate terms, Parenting Apart also offers practical suggestions for parents to help them maintain their own sense of stability.

Putting Children First

The breakup of a family can have an enduring impact on children. But parents can positively alter the effects of divorce on their children. The key is proven, emotionally intelligent parenting strategies that promote children's emotional health, resilience, and ability to lead satisfying lives. Filled with the voices and drawings of children and the stories of families, Putting Children First delivers a positive vision for a future of hope and healing.

Family & Divorce Help Guide

It can be difficult to give your kids the stability and support they need when you’re on an emotional rollercoaster of your own, sorting out custody issues, or dealing with an uncooperative ex. But you can successfully navigate this unsettling time—and help your kids emerge from it feeling loved, confident, and strong.

Kids Coping with Divorce

Divorce can be wrenching when kids are involved, but there's a lot you can do to help children cope. If you're a parent dealing with divorce, try to remember that your child needs you now more than ever. Offering reassurance, hope, and a sense of stability can help ease the effects of divorce on children of all ages.

Little Children, Big Challenges: Divorce (Sesame Street)

Divorce can be a big challenge for both children and parents. Though times may be difficult, children can emerge feeling loved and supported. You can all grow through these family changes and discover just how strong you really are. You are not alone. Family, friends, neighbors, and others are there to offer support.

TedX: Impact of Divorce on Children

Tamara Afifi is a Professor in the Department of Communication at UCSB. Most of her research focuses on how family members cope communicatively with various challenges they face. Including communication processes related to uncertainty, loss, stress and coping in families, with particular emphasis on post-divorce families.

Helping your Child Through a Divorce

Thousands of kids experience the stress of divorce each year. How they'll react depends on their age, personality, and the circumstances of the separation and divorce process. Every divorce will have an effect on the kids involved – and many times the reaction is shock, sadness, frustration, anger or worry. But kids can also come out of it better able to cope with stress and become flexible, tolerant young adults.

CPLEA: Child Custody and Parenting

• • custody and guardianship, parenting plans,
• • how to make agreements with the other parent,
• • common problems and suggestions on how to resolve them.

CPLEA: Financial Support

• • For people who were legally married and people who lived in a common law relationship.
• • Information about partner and spousal support, child support, and common problems and how to solve them.

CPLEA: Property Division

Explains the law and property division when a relationship ends in Alberta.

• • dividing property for married and unmarried people,
• • debts,
• • common problems and ways to solve them.

CPLEA: Representing Yourself in Family Court

The booklet has information for people who were legally married and who lived in a common law relationship on:

• • how to present evidence in court,
• • how to bring an application,
• • common problems and ways to solve them.

We’ve also included some tips and hints that will help you if you are representing yourself in court.

CPLEA: Young Parents

This publication explains the law for young parents in Alberta. The booklet has information about pregnancy, adoption, guardianship, living together, getting married, living apart and child support.

Crisis Planning and Counseling for Parents with Shared Custody

Information and guidance for parents going through separation during the COVID-19 crisis from a counsellor's perspective (note: American resource).