The Family Court responds to family violence, child abuse and other forms of risk in an integrated way.
The Court’s Family Violence Strategy was launched in March 2004 after extensive consultation with court users, the legal profession, government bodies, community-based service providers and the community.
The strategy recognises that family violence affects all aspects of the Court's operations and is designed to ensure that effective measures are identified, implemented and monitored.
The launch of the Family Violence Best Practice Principles in March 2009 finalised the implementation of the strategy. The Family Violence Best Practice Principles were updated in July of 2011 to include the Federal Magistrates Court of Australia and are set for further revision in 2012.
However the guiding principles and action areas continue to provide a framework through which the Family Court considers its responses to family violence and they will also help to guide and inform the development of a new family violence strategy.