Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System

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My Child's Day in Court

Listening to Families Today to Help the Child Witnesses of Tomorrow

As a parent or caregiver, watching a child be a court witness can be stressful and sometimes traumatic. Maybe your child had a difficult experience in the months before court, or maybe not. Maybe your child testified, or maybe not. Whatever happened, you probably know a lot of things today that you didn't know before. We want to hear about it. Knowing your views help us improve services for children, teenagers and their families. We also ask governments to change laws making it easier for child victims of crime.

Your answers are confidential and anonymous. When we make a report about our project, we do not identify people who gave us information. Filling in this survey should take about 10 minutes, if you have one child who was called as a witness, and a little longer if you have more than one child. We are grateful to get your answers even if you don't finish all the questions.

Here are some important things to know...

the My Day in Court project is funded by the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario
we don't know who you are so your responses are anonymous and confidential
if you have any questions about this form or why we are asking for feedback, contact Dawn Lashbrook or Pamela Hurley
this form is also available in French / cette feuille de commentaires est disponible également en français

When you finish saying what you want, at the bottom of this page you will find a "submit" button. Clicking on that button will send your answers to us.

1. Your child's case was heard in a Courthouse in what city or town (or your child was expected to tesify in what city or town)?

2. How far away is that Courthouse from where you live?

3. How many times did you visit the Courthouse (including appointments with victim/witness services and the Crown Attorney)?

4. Were you expecting to testify as well?

Yes
No

5. If so, did you testify?

Yes, once
Yes, twice
No, never

As a parent or caregiver, in the months before the court date ...

6. Did you get enough information about the case such as any changes in court dates?

Yes
No

7. Did you get enough help to understand the court pr0cess in general?

Yes
No
No, I knew this already

8. Was there someone you could ask questions if you needed to?

Yes
No

9. Write any comments here about your experience as a parent or caregiver:

10. Was your child (or were your children) worried about testifying?

A little bit worried
A lot worried
Not worried at all

11. What were the greatest worries for your child?

12. Did someone help with those worries?

Yes
No

13. Overall, did your child or children get enough help preparing to testify (whether they testified in the end or not)?

Yes
No
They didn't need help

14. What could have been done better to help children who are called as witnesses?

About your children ...

15. How many of your children were expected to testify, as a victim or as a witness?

Note: If you had one child who was expected to testify, please complete the questions from here to question 30, then scroll to the bottom of the page. If you had two or more children who were called to testify, please complete both the next sections.

About my first child who was expected to testify (or my only child who was expected to testify) ...

16. This child is a ...

Female
Male

17. When this case was heard, he or she was how many years old?

18. He or she was a ...

Victim
Witness
Both

19. What was the relationship between this child and the accused?

20. The case involved ... (check all that apply)

sexual offences
physical violence such as assault
adult domestic violence
other

If "other," please describe.

21. If the case involved domestic violence, who was the victim or victims?

me
another adult
this child
other

If "other," please describe.

22. Were any of the following aids considered to help your children testify?

Testifying via closed circuit TV from outside the courtroom
Using a screen
Having a support person sit with them
Other

If "other," please describe.

23. As a parent or caregiver, did you know these options were available?

Yes, they were explained
No, I didn't know but my child would not need these anyway
No, I didn't know and I would like to have been told about them
Other

If "other", please describe.

24. Did your child ever come to the Courthouse planning to testify, but the testimony was cancelled or postponed?

No
Once
Twice
More than twice

25. In the end, did your child ever testify?

No
Once
Twice
More than twice

If your child did not testify, please skip ahead to question 28.

26. Did your child testify using closed-circuit television?

Yes
No

If "no," why not?

If "yes," please describe if this aid was helpful or not:

27. Did your child testify using a screen?

Yes
No

If "no," why not?

If "yes," please describe if this aid was helpful or not:

After the verdict ...

28. Were you clear on how the case ended, such as the verdict and the sentence?

Yes, I understood
No, I wish things had been explained better

29. This is what I know now, that I wish I had known at the beginning of this case:

30. Based on my experience as a parent or caregiver, these are my recommendations to improve the services for children called to testify:

About your other child ...

2-16. This child is a ...

Female
Male

2-17. When this case was heard, he or she was how many years old?

2-18. He or she was a ...

Victim
Witness
Both

2-19. What was the relationship between this child and the accused?

2-20. The case involved ... (check all that apply)

sexual offences
physical violence such as assault
adult domestic violence
other

If "other," please describe.

2-21. If the case involved domestic violence, who was the victim or victims?

me
another adult
this child
other

If "other," please describe.

2-22. Were any of the following aids considered to help your children testify?

Testifying via closed circuit TV from outside the courtroom
Using a screen
Having a support person sit with them
Other

If "other", please describe.

2-23. As a parent or caregiver, did you know these options were available?

Yes, they were explained
No, I didn't know but my child would not need these anyway
No, I didn't know and I would like to have been told about them
Other

If "other", please describe.

2-24. Did your child ever come to the Courthouse planning to testify, but the testimony was cancelled or postponed?

No
Once
Twice
More than twice

2-25. In the end, did your child ever testify?

No
Once
Twice
More than twice

If your child did not testify, please skip ahead to the submit button.

2-26. Did your child testify using closed-circuit television?

Yes
No

If "no," why not?

If "yes," please describe if this aid was helpful or not:

2-27. Did your child testify using a screen?

Yes
No

If "no," why not?

If "yes," please describe if this aid was helpful or not:

Here is space for any final thoughts or comments.

Thank you very much for helping us understand the opinions of parents such as yourself. To send this information to us anonymously, click on the "submit" button.