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WELCOME TO e-SAFeR

The e-SAFeR is designed to promote a consistent, comprehensive framework for assessing family violence (FV) in the context of family law litigation. It is intended to be used by family law professionals (lawyers, assessors, advocates) following a disclosure of FV during standard screening with family law litigants (see HELP Toolkit PDF).

The guide helps family law professionals assess the nature and severity of the FV, including coercive control and its impacts on co-parenting, children’s development and well-being, as well as evidence of change. Key information is summarized in accordance with the federal and provincial best interests of the child criteria to aid in the development of a parenting plan that accounts for the family violence.

The e-SAFeR builds on the Screen, Assess, Focus on Effects, Respond (SAFeR), developed by the Battered Women's Justice Project. With funding from the Department of Justice Canada, the e-SAFeR was developed by the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women & Children (CREVAWC). The guide represents a collaboration with the Battered Women’s Justice Project, the Alliance of Canadian Research Centres on Gender-Based Violence, and Navigating OnWard (NavOn), London Family Court Clinic and was informed by a national, multi-disciplinary, expert stakeholder committee. In Canada, the e-SAFeR is available in English and French.

Disclaimer: The e-SAFeR guide and the printout generated are not intended to serve as legal or clinical advice or as recommendations with respect to a user’s specific circumstances. The e-SAFeR guide is not intended to be an exhaustive or comprehensive assessment. It is intended to assist family law professionals (assessors, clinicians, advocates, and lawyers) to assess all aspects of the family violence that might be relevant to making recommendations to the court about parenting time and decision-making in accordance with the federal and provincial best interests of the child criteria. Users of the e-SAFeR are advised that this guide only covers one portion of a comprehensive assessment. Moreover, the use of this guide should be done in accordance with the laws, standards, regulations, and guidelines provided by the professionals, regulatory bodies.

Western University does not accept any liability for damages of the e-SAFeR guide in a given situation or claims arising out of the use or inability to use the  guide and report produced. No reports generated through use of the e- SAFeR guide or information entered in association with the completion of such reports are retained by Western University. It is incumbent upon the user to download all reports.