Author: Family Law Courts
A Family Law Courts’ Skilling and Client Support Program
The courts are aware of the stress family breakdown places on clients. It was within this context that in 2004 the Department of Health and Ageing and the Family Law Courts initiated the Mental Health Support project. A pilot program in Adelaide and Darwin registries began soon after. The learnings from this pilot and other client service initiatives were then consolidated into a new initiative, known as the Integrated Client Service Delivery program, which was implemented nationally throughout the courts in 2006.
While it is not the role of the courts to provide mental health services, through the Integrated Client Service Delivery program we are able to support people’s mental health and general wellbeing by working directly with organisations that do provide professional services.
The Integrated Client Service Delivery program aimed to ensure that client-focussed principles were incorporated into the courts’ service delivery.
The report A Family Law Courts’ Skilling and Client Support Program is a summary of the Court’s Integrated Client Service Delivery program, with particular emphasis on the mental health benefits. The report draws extensively on the evaluations undertaken as part of the initiative.
There is also a companion CD containing training material and other resources and a DVD containing six customer service scenarios for facilitators, trainers and team leaders.
Additional copies of the report or the CD/DVD are available by emailing the Communications Office at communication@familylawcourts.gov.au.