NW Collaborative
Futures Conference

Kids and Cross-Border Parenting: The importance of meaningful participation and voice

Children and youth are often caught in the middle of parental separation, and that sometimes involves parenting arrangements that extend across borders. The well-being of kids is enhanced when they have meaningful participation and voice in decision-making that affects their lives in significant ways, including where they live and go to school. Using a child-centred approach, this session will discuss child participation and why it is important (referring to ACEs and the UNCRC) and create space for a dialogue about how it can be done safely and effectively.

Speaker: Kari D. Boyle, LLB
Coordinator, BC Family Justice Innovation Lab

Kari is a retired BC lawyer called in 1981. After practicing law for many years, Kari focused her efforts in legal services management, conflict management and access to justice. Kari served as Executive Director of Mediate BC Society 2006 – 2015.  She contributed to the VJAC, led the “Family Unbundled Legal Services Project” and supported the formation of the BC Family Justice Innovation Lab. Kari is a member of the A2JBC Leadership group and Coordinator of the Lab which uses human-centred design approaches to improve the well-being of family and children experiencing separation or divorce. The Lab’s two main initiatives are Youth Voices and the Unbundling Research Project.

Speaker: Ms. Lauren Irvine
Student and Youth Rights Advocate representing the Youth Voices Initiative

Lauren was first introduced to the world of advocacy work through her own experiences in the family legal system, whereby she retained a child lawyer at the age of thirteen. She worked as a Youth Co-researcher for a partnered project between InwithForward and The Representative for Children and Youth BC, before joining the Youth Voices Initiative. It was during this time that she was a guest-lecturer at Emily Carr University and participated in the Child and Youth Champions Conference hosted by RCYBC and Access to Justice BC. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree at King’s College London.