Parenting After Separation Course in Saskatchewan

If your Saskatchewan divorce involves children, you're almost certainly required to complete the Parenting After Separation (PAS) program before the court will hear contested parenting matters. It's not optional — under Section 15 of The Queen's Bench Act, 1998, completion is mandated before taking parenting steps in court.

Here's what the program involves, how to register, and how it fits into the broader post-divorce timeline.

Who Needs to Take It

Both parents must complete the PAS program when parenting arrangements are contested — meaning you and your former spouse disagree on custody, access, or decision-making authority. If your parenting agreement is fully consensual and included in an uncontested divorce, the court may not require it, but many judges still expect proof of completion.

The program applies to both married and common-law parents.

What the Program Covers

The PAS program is an educational session — not counselling, mediation, or therapy. It focuses on:

• How separation affects children at different ages and developmental stages
• Communication strategies for co-parenting after separation
• Recognizing and minimizing conflict that affects children
• Understanding the legal framework for parenting arrangements in Saskatchewan
• Resources available to families going through separation

Sessions are typically delivered in group format, either in person or online. The program runs for several hours and is offered through Saskatchewan's Ministry of Justice or approved community organizations.

How to Register

Contact the Family Law Information Centre at the judicial centre handling your divorce (Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, or other locations). They'll direct you to upcoming PAS sessions in your area.

Online sessions are also available, which is particularly useful for parents in rural Saskatchewan who may not have easy access to an urban judicial centre.

Filing Your Attendance Certificate

After completing the program, you receive an attendance certificate. File this with the court registry handling your divorce. The court may refuse to schedule contested parenting hearings until both parties' certificates are on file.

Keep your original certificate — your lawyer will need it, and the court registry may request it during hearings.

How PAS Fits the Post-Divorce Timeline

PAS completion is typically a pre-judgment requirement — you complete it during the separation period, before the divorce is finalized. However, if your parenting arrangements change after the divorce (for example, one parent wants to modify custody), the court may require updated PAS completion before hearing the variation application.

For the broader post-divorce administrative sequence — name changes, account closures, property transfers, and pension divisions — the Saskatchewan After-Divorce Checklist covers the full timeline from the day your Certificate of Divorce arrives through the final administrative step.

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