Most Ontario parents want what is best for their children. This concern often continues even in the event of a separation or divorce. More and more couples are choosing to avoid litigation and opt for mediated or collaborative divorces, which are mostly amicable, and most parents will do whatever they can to maintain loving parent-child relationships throughout the proceedings and beyond.

A social work professor at King’s University College is orchestrating a study to learn more about the role social media can play when families break up. The intent of the study is to provide information for judges and lawyers who are involved in child custody decisions. It is believed that social media could play a beneficial role by allowing continued communication between many parents and their children – especially when one parent relocates.

Online platforms such as Skype and FaceTime could have both pros and cons. While they might ensure frequent communication between a child and an absent parent, there could be financial barriers that may prevent some families from accessing the internet. Also, while these entities can allow a parent to read a child a bedtime story from far away, they could potentially present a threat to certain families in which domestic violence was a problem.

These are just some of the issues being evaluated in the study. The seriousness of these issues underscores the importance of discussing all potential aspects of one’s circumstances with an experienced Ontario divorce lawyer. Acquiring legal counsel may help to ensure that any social media communication between parents and children after a divorce or separation is in the best interests of all involved parties