Children helped through divorce

Divorce, as nearly everyone would agree, can be hard on children. So what to do to ensure the youngest and most powerless participants feel a little less threatened?

Third District Court Commissioner Michael Evans hopes a pilot program for children of divorcing parents will help lessen the fears children may have and equip them with some new coping skills to make the experience easier on them.

As a court commissioner, Evans presides over contested divorces and paternity cases, which increasingly include the break-ups of unmarried couples who often have been partners for a long time and have had children together.

"I see so many children and hear about them that I became concerned they were being ignored or neglected as part of the process," said Evans. "Children are confused about the process and don't understand their role in it."

Utah law requires parents of minor children who are divorcing to take a one-time divorce education class.

Evans thought a similar type of class for children would be a good idea, even though there was no money to fund it. He enlisted members of a subcommittee he heads under the umbrella of the Judicial Council's Standing Committee on Judicial Outreach.

Subcommittee members worked at length to devise a curriculum for a two-hour session for youngsters ages 9 through 12. Mental health professionals do the actual instruction, but the class is not meant to be psychotherapy.

Instead, the emphasis is on offering children new skills and an opportunity to express feelings, and gives them a chance to get acquainted with a courtroom and the legal process.

The class is voluntary and, to make it easy for parents, it is free and held at the same time as the mandatory adult class. Since it is a pilot program with no funding, it has involved only people filing for divorce in Salt Lake County.

Evans is quick to credit others who have volunteered their time to help create and conduct the classes, and in particular, Salt Lake City psychologist Valerie Hale.

Evans takes part briefly in an effort to put a human face on the legal process and show children that having a "court date" — a phrase that frightens some youngsters — is not a scary thing.

The classes are held in his courtroom so children can see what one looks like in real life and a highlight of the day comes at the end when each child gets to try on Evans' judicial robe, sit on the bench and get a photo taken that they can keep.