Dr. Rachel Birnbaum is an Adjunct Professor Cross –Appointed in Childhood & Social Institutions (Interdisciplinary Programs) and Social Work at King’s University College, Western, Ontario. She teaches in the area of children’s participation, social work ethics and law and on the intersection between law and social work since 2002. Dr. Birnbaum has over 25 years of clinical practice experience working with children and families of separation and/or divorce, specifically focused on working with high conflict families post separation. She has presented and published both nationally and internationally on child custody and access assessments, child legal representation, children's participation in family disputes, and access to justice for children and families. Her research is interdisciplinary and collaborative with colleagues in law, medicine, psychology and social work. Dr. Birnbaum has co-authored several books on separation and/or divorce, on research methodologies and authored several Department of Justice papers on children's participation during parental breakdown.
Dr. Birnbaum was the President of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) from 2005-2009 and was the President of the Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators (CCSWR) from 2012-2014.
EDUCATION:
2008 - Master of Laws (Specialized in Family Law), Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
2001 - Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D., Social Work), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
1995 - Diploma in Social Work Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
1992 - Master of Social Work, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
1979 - Bachelor of Social Work, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
1977 - Bachelor of Arts, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Major: Psychology, Minor: Sociology
ACADEMIC HONOURS/AWARDS
2014 -2015 Stanley Cohen Distinguished Research Award (an award given by an interdisciplinary and international group of family justice professionals)
1995 – 2000 University of Toronto Open Doctoral Fellowship
2000 – 2001 University of Toronto Doctoral Award
1998 - Employee Recognition Award, Ministry of the Attorney General, Excellence in Better Business Practices
Research
SSHRC 2014-2019: Access to Effective Family Justice: Improving Outcomes For Children and Parents. Dr. Birnbaum (Co-PI) and her interdisciplinary colleagues, Professor Nicholas Bala (PI), Dr. Fancine Cyr, Faculty of Psychology, University of Montreal, Dr. Michael Saini, Factor-Inwentash School of Social Work, University of Toronto, and Professor Alain Roy, Faculty of Law, University of Montreal are exploring access to justice and outcomes for children and families involved in separation and divorce. This is a three-part multi-method study that will be bi-juridical examining pathways through family justice in Ontario and Quebec.
SSHRC 2011-2014: Understanding Positive Parenting after Separation: Differential Responses for Low and High Conflict Parents. Dr. Birnbaum (Co-PI) and her interdisciplinary colleagues, Dr. Michael Saini (PI), Factor-Inwentash School of Social Work, University of Toronto, Professor Nicholas Bala, Faculty of Law, Queens University and Dr. Francine Cyr, Faculty of Psychology, University of Montreal are examining the role of parenting post separation in Ontario and Quebec.
Department of Justice, Canada 2011-2012: Evaluating an Integrated Domestic Violence Court with Family Disputes. Dr. Birnbaum (PI) and her interdisciplinary colleagues, Professors Nicholas Bala, Faculty of Law, Queens University, and Dr. Peter Jaffe, Professor of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Western University, London, Ontario are evaluating the Integrated Domestic Violence Court in Toronto, Ontario. This is the first court in Canada to hear both criminal and civil matters sequentially before one judge.
Department of Justice, Canada 2010-2011: Development of a High Conflict Training Curriculum for Family Justice Professionals Across Canada. Dr. Birnbaum (PI) and Dr. Michael Saini, Factor-Inwentash School of Social Work, University of Toronto developed a training curriculum for family justice service providers on high conflict families posts separation.
CIHR 2009-2014: CIHR TEAM IN PARENTING MATTERS!
THE BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL CONTEXT OF PARENTING CHILDREN
WITH NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS IN CANADA. Peter
Rosenbaum (Nominated Principal Investigator), Lucyna M. Lach (Co-Principal
Investigator); Dafna Kohen (Co-Principal Investigator); Michael Saini, Rochelle
Garner, Rachel Birnbaum, David Nicholas, Jamie Brehaut, Delphine Collin-Vezina, Ted McNeill, David Nicholas, Alison Niccols, & Michael McKenzie carried out 4 projects. Dr. Birnbaum was the team leader examining federal, provincial, and territorial policies related to income support, respite or alternative care, and case management. The objectives of the 4 projects are to: 1) compare the parenting of children with NDD to that of parents of children without NDD; 2) examine ‘parenting-in-context’, how social (e.g., policies, neighbourhood), family (e.g., marital satisfaction, interparental discord, family function, and social support), parent (e.g., caregiver age, gender, education, income, physical and mental health) and child factors (e.g., age, gender, birth order, function) are associated with parenting; 3) examine the bi-directional relationship between parenting and child well-being; 4) explore new ways of conceptualizing parenting and its relationship to the social and family environment that have not yet been considered; and 5) situate the findings in the context of existing policies and practices for the purpose of making recommendations. The results of these projects will inform policy, program planning, and practice in sectors such as child welfare, health, rehabilitation and social services.
Department of Justice, Canada. 2009-2009. The voice of the child in separation/divorce mediation and other alternative dispute resolution processes: A literature review. Family, Children and Youth Section, Department of Justice, Canada.
http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/fcy-fea/lib-bib/rep-rap/2009/vcsdm-pvem/pdf/vcsdm-pvem.pdf Dr. Birnbaum (PI) reviewed the empirical research on the different pathways for children’s participation post separation.
SSHRC 2008-2012: Understanding Conflict in Post Separation Families: Pathways to Effective Interventions. Dr. Birnbaum (PI) and her interdisciplinary colleagues Professor Nicholas Bala, Faculty of Law, Queen's University, Dr. Peter Jaffe, Faculty of Education, University of Western Ontario, Dr. Lynn McCleary, Faculty of Nursing, Brock University, & Dr. Francine Cyr, Faculty of Psychology, University of Montreal, Quebec explored an instrument to differentiate and distinguish between different types and levels of conflict during post separation disputes to allow the judicial system and mental health professionals to better address the needs of children and their parents post separation. This research also allows for comparative differences between Ontario and Quebec.
Department of Justice, Canada. 2007- 2007: Research on Listening to Youths About their Needs and Preferences for Information Relating to Parental Separation and Divorce. Dr. Birnbaum (PI) reported on two focus groups with young people about the needs and preferences for children and youth caught in their parents’ separation and/or divorce.
Ontario Government 2006-2006: Evaluation of the Reliability and Validity of the High Conflict Guide For Separating and/or Divorcing Families: Pilot Study. Dr. Birnbaum (PI) piloted the validation and reliability of the Dimensions of Conflict in Separated Families Scale (DCSFS).
SSHRC 2003-2006: Exploring What Professionals Are Doing in Child Custody Evaluations Across Canada. Dr. Birnbaum (PI) examined factors that are important to social work professionals engaged in child custody and access assessments across Canada.
Publications
Birnbaum, R., Bala, N., & Jaffe, P. (In Press). Establishing Canada’s first integrated domestic violence court: Exploring outcomes, process and lessons learned. Canadian Journal of Family Law.
Birnbaum, R., & Saini, M. (In Press). A qualitative synthesis of children's experiences of shared care parenting arrangements post separation. The International Journal of Children's Rights.
Birnbaum, R., & Lach, L. (2014). Teaching about what ethical social work practice means: Responsibility starts with schools of social work. Intervention Journal: L’encadrement juridique de la pratique profoessionnlle. 140(1). 37-43.
Birnbaum, R., & Bala, N. (2014). A survey of Canadian judges about their meetings with children: Becoming more common but still contentious. Canadian Bar Review, 91, 637-655.
Birnbaum, R., Bala, N., & Bertrand, L. (2013). Judicial interviews with children: Attitudes and practices of children's lawyers in Canada. New Zealand Law Review, 3, 465-482.
Bala, N., Birnbaum, R., Cyr, F., & McColley, D. (2013). Children's voices in family court: Guidelines for judges meeting children. Family Law Quarterly, 47 (3), 381-410.
Birnbaum, R., Saini, M., McCleary, L., & Hurwitz, H. (2013). A community-based response to address the needs of high conflict separated families. Ontario Association of Children's Aid Society Journal, 58(1), 15-23.
Bala, N., Birnbaum, R. &, Bertrand, L. (2013). The Role of the children's lawyers: Instructional advocate or best interests guardian? Comparing legal practice in Alberta & Ontario - Two provinces with different policies. Family Court Review, 51(4), 681-697.
Birnbaum, R., Bala, N., & Bertrand, L. (2013). The rise of self-representation in Canada’s family courts: The complex picture revealed in surveys of judges, lawyers and litigants. Canadian Bar Review, 91, 67-95.
Birnbaum, R. & Saini, M. (2012). A scoping review of qualitative studies about children experiencing parental separation. Childhood. 20(2), 260-282.
Birnbaum, R. & Bala, N. (2012). Views of Ontario Lawyers on family litigants without representation. University of New Brunswick Law Journal, 65, 99-124.
Birnbaum, R. & Saini, M. (2012). A qualitative synthesis of children’s participation in custody disputes. Research on Social Work Practice, 22 (4), 400-409.
Birnbaum, R., & Silver, R. (2012). Social work competencies in Canada: The time has come. Canadian Social Work Review, 28(2), 299-303.
Birnbaum, R., Bala, N. & Cyr, F. (2011). Children’s experiences with family justice professionals in Ontario and Ohio. International Journal of Law, Policy and Family, 25 (3), 398-422.
Bala, N., Birnbaum, R. & Martinson, D. (2011). One Judge for one family: Differentiated case management for families in continuing conflict. Canadian Journal of Family Law, 26(2), 395-450.
Birnbaum, R. & Bala, N. (2010). Judicial interviews with children in custody and access cases: Comparing experiences in Ontario and Ohio. International Journal of Law, Policy and Family, 24 (3), 300-337.
Birnbaum, R. & Bala, N. (2010). Towards the differentiation of “High Conflict” families: An analysis of social science research and Canadian case law. Family Court Review, 48(3), 403-416.
Birnbaum, R. & Chipeur, S. (2010). Supervised visitation in custody and access disputes: Finding legal solutions for complex family problems. Canadian Family Law Quarterly, 29, 79 - 94.