Submission to Australian Law Reform Commission's Review of the Family Law System

This document is a submission made in 2018 by the APS to the Australian Law Reform Commission's Review of the Family Law System.

The submission highlighted that a modern family law system should provide Australian families with an accessible, safe, inclusive, and affordable resolution of family disputes. The APS argued that there is a need to recognise and strengthen psychological responsiveness throughout the family law system, acknowledging the distress families are likely to be experiencing at this time in their lives. In particular, trauma-informed practice should be a key principle throughout system.

Where possible, the system should be strengths-based and non-adversarial. In addition, the submission recommended that given many families accessing the family law system are or have been affected by family violence, it is imperative that the current system better identify and respond in a way that is most protective of the safety and wellbeing of all involved, particularly victims of family violence and children.

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