informed by personal and historical experience, have resulted in a reluctance to engage with legal processes. When engagement does occur, it requires time to build trust. People with a cognitive impairment. The time-pressured nature of current practice does not cater for the needs of children or parents who are living with an impairment. People from a culturally and linguistically diverse background. The lack of time to address different cultural understandings of children and parenting practices creates confusion that generates a lack of confidence in the overall system. of women we help with intellectual disabilities and literacy issues, they are in crisis mode ‘A lot at the court and they what is happening. They go straight to how it's making them don’t hear which what the workers, the lawyers or the Court wants to hear. So they leave “feel”, isn’t feeling they been A support worker haven’t heard.’ –
informed by personal and historical experience, have resulted in a reluctance to engage with legal processes. When engagement does occur, it requires time to build trust. People with a cognitive impairment. The time-pressured nature of current practice does not cater for the needs of children or parents who are living with an impairment. People from a culturally and linguistically diverse background. The lack of time to address different cultural understandings of children and parenting practices creates confusion that generates a lack of confidence in the overall system. ‘A lot of women we help with intellectual disabilities and literacy issues, they are in crisis mode at the court and they don’t hear what is happening. They go straight to how it's making them “feel”, which isn’t what the workers, the lawyers or the Court wants to hear. So they leave feeling they haven’t been heard.’ – A support worker
vla-background-and-current-child-protection-legal-services-child-protection-legal-aid-services-review-consultation-and-options-paper.docx