Relationships Australia SA

Young Persons Family Law Advisory Group

July 2016 – June 2017, July 2017 – December 2017

Australia has given little consideration to facilitating children’s voice when their parents are in dispute in a family law process. In 2014 there was the first proposal in Australia for a Children’s Council or Advisory Group where children and young people could be directly involved in providing feedback about the family law system, based on their experience. The SA Family Law Pathways Network took up the idea and with the help of the Children’s Committee Working Group proposed a pilot program for the Young People’s Family Law Advisory Group.  The Broadley Trust funded the pilot program.  The advisory group first met in September 2016. The anticipated outcomes are strategies and funding for an ongoing Children’s Council (Advisory Group) and new guidelines to ensure the voices of children are not overlooked in the making of final family law orders.