The Family Court of Australia has combined a number of client service professional development activities into a single, coordinated entity known as the Integrated Client Service Delivery Program (ICSDP).
The ICSDP aims to ensure that best practice client-focussed principles are incorporated and embedded into the Court’s service delivery. This approach will enable court staff to understand and better meet the needs of often highly stressed Court clients.
The initiative was originally developed with assistance from the Department of Health and Ageing and is the first of its kind in an Australian court. It has been instrumental in providing staff with the necessary skills in communication, mental health, cultural diversity and safety issues to support clients attending court.
Key elements of ICSDP
Benefits of the ICSDP
After completing the program, staff members are better equipped to support clients because they have a better knowledge and understanding of:
The training helps to improve the clients’ experience of court and reduce staff anxiety in difficult situations.
‘The person I spoke to listened to my issues, didn’t judge me and seemed sensitive to what I was going through’
‘They put me onto a community organisation who could support me while I go through separation. I also liked that I can stay anonymous’
‘I feel better prepared to participate in the Court process’
(Clients of the Family Court of Australia)
The model for the ICSD Program can be transferred to other agencies to assist with developing partnerships, staff skilling programs and adopting the lessons learnt.
Program outline
The national roll-out of the ICSD Program began in 2006 and involved:
The national roll-out was completed in April 2008, with staff located in every registry of the Family Court of Australia participating in the training. The program was evaluated externally and a report will be delivered to the Court in late 2008/early 2009.