Listening to Their Voice: Why the Voice of the Child Report Matters

This post was written by Maddie, a child and youth therapist here at CW Therapy.

In the midst of family transition, especially separation or divorce, children often find themselves caught in the middle. This can cause them to feel confused, worried, or unsure about how to express what they need. More often than not, they will have strong feelings and opinions about what’s happening, but struggle to express them safely or clearly. Even when parents do their best to protect them from stress, children often carry questions and emotions that don’t have a safe place to land.

A Voice of the Child (VOC) Report provides that safe place. It gives children an opportunity to share how they feel and what life looks like from their point of view. Through guided conversations with a trained, neutral clinician such as those at Growing with CW Therapy, a child can talk about what’s working well, what feels hard, and what they hope for moving forward. The clinician then summarizes these insights in a report that can be shared with parents, lawyers, or the court, helping everyone better understand the child’s perspective.

The purpose of a VOC Report isn’t to ask a child to choose sides or make decisions. It’s to ensure that their experiences and feelings are acknowledged and respected in the process of making adult decisions that directly impact them.

Why It’s Helpful

Children are often more perceptive than we realize. They notice tension, sense emotional changes, and form opinions long before adults think they do. But without the right outlet, these feelings can turn inward; showing up as anxiety, anger, withdrawal, or confusion.

A Voice of the Child Report helps by

• Providing emotional validation: Children feel heard and respected when their perspectives are taken seriously.

• Reducing emotional burden: Instead of feeling pressured to share their thoughts directly with parents, children can express themselves safely to a neutral professional.

• Informing better decisions: Parents and courts gain insight into what arrangements best support the child’s emotional and developmental needs.

• Supporting healthier co-parenting: Understanding how a child experiences transitions can help parents reduce conflict and focus on what truly matters: the child’s well-being.

Why It’s Needed

Family separation can be overwhelming for children. They may worry about loyalty, fear upsetting one parent, or feel powerless about changes in their life. The VOC process empowers them to have a say in a way that is age-appropriate, respectful, and emotionally safe.

For parents, it offers clarity and a reminder that decisions made today shape how their child experiences safety, love, and trust in relationships for years to come.

Family separation can be one of the hardest experiences a child goes through. The Voice of the Child process doesn’t make those challenges disappear, but it gives children a voice when they need it most. It helps shift the focus from conflict to connection, reminding everyone involved that, at the heart of every decision, there’s a child simply wanting to feel loved, safe, and understood.

When children feel heard, they feel valued. And when they feel valued, healing and cooperation become possible.

---

This post was written by Maddie Chenier, a child and youth therapist here at CW Therapy.

Maddie believes that every child deserves to feel heard and understood. With her warm and caring approach, she creates a safe space where children can share their thoughts and feelings openly, especially during difficult times like family transitions or separation.

As a trained Voice of the Child (VOC) professional, Maddie helps children express their perspectives in a neutral and supportive way, ensuring their voices are included in decisions that affect them. Her goal is always to help parents, caregivers, and the court better understand a child’s experiences while keeping the child out of adult conflict.

Maddie approaches each family with sensitivity and respect, focusing on what’s best for the child and helping families move forward with clarity and care.

For more information, please visit https://www.cwtherapy.ca/voice-of-the-child-reports or call our office at 905-412-3730.