Shirley Wallace, MSW

Shirley is a registered social worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. Shirley holds a Bachelor of Arts from Concordia University (Applied Social Science) as well as a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Social Work, both from McGill University.  She is a registered member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW).

Shirley completed a Graduate Diploma in Conflict Resolution at Carleton University (Ottawa) in 2013.  She is an accredited Elder Mediator and Child Protection Mediator with the Ontario Association of Family Mediators (OAFM) and is currently completing the final requirements for accreditation as a Family Mediator with OAFM.  She is a registered member of OAFM and is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the OAFM Ottawa Chapter.  Shirley is also a registered member of the Ontario Association of Collaborative Professionals (OACP).

Shirley is fluently bilingual and provides services in both English and French.

Shirley has worked with parents and children for over twenty-five years. In private practice since 2014, Shirley has provided custody and access assessments for the Office of the Children’s Lawyer.  Previous work experience includes the Children’s Aid Society as well as community organizations in Ontario and Quebec.

Shirley is currently providing the following services:

Neutral Family Relationship Specialist: Shirley has been a member of Collaborative Practice Ottawa (Ottawa Chapter of OACP) since 2020, working to support families during the challenges of separation and divorce.

Parenting Mediation: Shirley is finalizing the accreditation process as a Family Mediator with OAFM, in order to assist parents in developing parenting plans that work for them and best support their ability to meet their children’s developmental needs.

New Ways for Families: Shirley has been accredited with the New Ways for Families program (High Conflict Institute, Bill Eddy, LCSW) since 2016 and offers individual parent counselling, focussing on conflict reduction.

Custody and Access Assessments: With her many years of experience in the field of parenting and child development, Shirley is able to prioritize the best interests of the child within the often complex post parental separation context.

Shirley’s professional experience and values mesh very well with the cooperative, inclusive and respectful approach offered within a Collaborative Family Law process.  While the issues of separation and divorce require resolution, the ultimate goal is to prioritize the overall well-being of children and families, in order to reach the healthiest outcome possible.