Conference Circuit: Fostering Family Family Reconciliation

A leading association for resolving family conflict holds its annual conference. Plus: a surgical showcase in Denver.

Mediators, judges, lawyers, academics, and childcare professionals looking to learn from industry leaders should consider heading up to Toronto for the 51st annual conference of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), being held May 28-31.

One objective of this year’s event, titled “Navigating the Waters of Shared Parenting: Guidance From the Harbor  (opens in a new tab),” is to shed more light on the titular concept of “shared parenting.”

“There is limited consensus about the term ‘shared parenting’ after separation and divorce. It may refer to parenting time, decision making, or responsibilities; it has multiple labels, including joint or split custody, access, time sharing, and parallel parenting,” AFCC states. “Many believe shared parenting to be a worthy goal; others caution against presumptions and unintended consequences.”

Sessions on the schedule of events  (opens in a new tab) [PDF] will deal with such difficult topics as domestic violence, child abduction disputes, and guiding children through rough divorce situations.

AFCC President Nancy Ver Steegh urges all attendees to “bring an open mind and join us as we critically examine the values, expectations, and assumptions that inform our daily work with children and families.”

The Week Ahead

May 25-30: The Association of International Educators will hold its annual conference and expo in San Diego, featuring more than 200 sessions  (opens in a new tab) for education professionals and a huge lineup of workshops  (opens in a new tab).

May 29: Looking for insight into how craft beers perform against their competition at the point of sale? Head down to the Brewers Association headquarters  (opens in a new tab) in Boulder, Colorado, for a seminar with GuestMetrics Vice President of Strategy and Insights Peter Reidhead.

May 26-30: The Association of Surgical Technologists  (opens in a new tab) will hold its annual conference in its hometown of Denver, with special attention paid to the team that performed the first bilateral arm transplant.

Down the Line

July 8-12: Amid ongoing discussion about the effect of climate change on humanity’s future, some climate experts are looking back into the past and studying the weather of eras long gone. At the Second World Congress of Environmental History  (opens in a new tab), climate historians will share ideas and research in historic Guimarães, Portugal.

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts