There should be a specific family violence and child sexual abuse module in the National Family Law Specialist accreditation scheme at the examination phase, professional development phase and re-accreditation phase as a compulsory requirement of being accredited. That Legal Aid Commissions across Australia should consider requiring their lawyers as well all legal practitioners on their family law practitioner panels to demonstrate a sound awareness of family violence, trauma informed practice and an ability to work with victims of family violence. Recommendation 12: Joint professional development To ensure there is consistent and national training, the National Judicial College of Australia develop a continuing joint professional development program for judicial officers from the family courts and state and territory courts in which judicial officers preside over matters involving family violence to strengthen understanding of family law and family violence and the impact of trauma. The Australian Government engage with relevant professional bodies within the child protection, family law and family violence systems with a view to encouraging collaboration in designing and delivering joint training opportunities aimed at strengthening cross-professional understanding. Recommendation 13: views and experiences Children’s The Australian Government establish a young person advisory panel to assist in the design of child-focused family law services that build on an understanding of and young views and experiences of the family law children’s people’s system’s services. The Australian Government consult with children and young people as key stakeholders in developing guidelines for judges who may choose to meet with children in family law proceedings. Recommendation 14: Family dispute resolution and confidentiality The Australian Government consider ways to improve understanding among family dispute resolution practitioners of the nature of their confidentiality and admissibility obligations in order to reduce any perceived barriers to information sharing. The be removed from s 10H(4)(b) of the Family Law Act 1975. word ‘imminent’
There should be a specific family violence and child sexual abuse module in the National Family Law Specialist accreditation scheme at the examination phase, professional development phase and re-accreditation phase as a compulsory requirement of being accredited. That Legal Aid Commissions across Australia should consider requiring their lawyers as well all legal practitioners on their family law practitioner panels to demonstrate a sound awareness of family violence, trauma informed practice and an ability to work with victims of family violence. Recommendation 12: Joint professional development To ensure there is consistent and national training, the National Judicial College of Australia develop a continuing joint professional development program for judicial officers from the family courts and state and territory courts in which judicial officers preside over matters involving family violence to strengthen understanding of family law and family violence and the impact of trauma. The Australian Government engage with relevant professional bodies within the child protection, family law and family violence systems with a view to encouraging collaboration in designing and delivering joint training opportunities aimed at strengthening cross-professional understanding. Recommendation 13: Children’s views and experiences The Australian Government establish a young person advisory panel to assist in the design of child-focused family law services that build on an understanding of children’s and young people’s views and experiences of the family law system’s services. The Australian Government consult with children and young people as key stakeholders in developing guidelines for judges who may choose to meet with children in family law proceedings. Recommendation 14: Family dispute resolution and confidentiality The Australian Government consider ways to improve understanding among family dispute resolution practitioners of the nature of their confidentiality and admissibility obligations in order to reduce any perceived barriers to information sharing. The word ‘imminent’ be removed from s 10H(4)(b) of the Family Law Act 1975.
Family-with-Complex-Needs-Intersection-of-Family-Law-and-Child-Protection-Systems-Final-Report-Terms-3-4-5.DOCX