As far back as 1999, according to Australian marriage educator Margaret Andrews, “More than one-quarter of all couples marrying in Australia participate in some form of marriage education. … more than 100 agencies and groups throughout Australia offer Marriage Education programs, many of which are partially funded by the Federal Government.” Marriage education is a truly integral part of Australia’s new comprehensive overhaul of its family court system, the following description of which was condensed and paraphrased from http://www.familyrelationships.gov.au by John Crouch.
Recently, Australia’s Family Law Act has undergone its most extensive reforms since it was first passed in 1975, with most changes taking effect July 1, 2006, and costing approximately $400 million over four years. The federal government calls this its largest investment in family services ever. The 65 new Family Relationship Centres that will be established across Australia form the core of the Government’s services and will support the reformed family law system. The first 15 opened in July 2006. The remaining 50 will be established in 2007 and 2008.
The Centres are a first port of call when families want information about relationship and separation issues. All family relationship information will be available in one place.
People of all ages, at any stage of their family relationship, will be able to use the Centre to resolve individual relationship issues. The Centres will also run public information sessions covering family relationship issues, including parenting after separation.
The Centres will make it easier for families to find out about, and use, the many existing services throughout Australia that can help them resolve their relationship issues. The other services include early intervention services that help prevent relationships from breaking down.
Where families separate, the Centres provide information, advice and dispute resolution (such as mediation) to help them reach agreement on parenting arrangements without going to court. They also refer families to a range of other services that can help. Separating couples are encouraged to use the new Family Relationship Centres, but it is not compulsory. In future years the law will require separating parents to first try dispute resolution before taking a parenting dispute to the court (exceptions include cases where violence or child abuse is present). Dispute resolution can be provided by an accredited professional at a Family Relationship Centre or elsewhere.
The Centres will be run by a range of organizations. They will deliver some services directly but will also refer people to other services. They will be trained to screen for family violence, child abuse, and other dangerous conditions.
Other new early intervention and prevention services
In addition to the network of Family Relationship Centres, the Government will be establishing additional services over the next four years, as part of its commitment to strengthen families and help prevent separation. Thirty-four new and expanded services will be established across Australia to support the reforms to family law. These will include:
• Pre-marriage and relationship services: New pre-marriage and family relationship education services will be established to assist in positive family relationship formation and development
• ‘Men and family relationship’ services: New services will be established to assist men in their family relationships
• Counselling services: New family relationship counselling and skills services will be established, and
• Specialised family violence services: New services will be established to deliver integrated responses to family violence.
The Family Relationship Advice Line
The Family Relationship Advice Line (1800 050 321) provides information on family relationship issues and advice on parenting arrangements after separation. It can also refer callers to local services that can provide assistance. It complements the information and services offered by the new Family Relationship Centres. It ensures that people who are not able to attend a Centre can be helped. It is available from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm on Saturday (local time), except national public holidays.
The Family Relationship Advice Line will provide:
• information about services to help people maintain healthy relationships
• information about the family law system
• advice on family separation issues
• guidance on developing workable parenting arrangements after family separation
• advice about the impact of conflict on children
• referral to Family Relationship Centres and other dispute resolution services
• organisation of telephone dispute resolution for people unable to attend a family dispute resolution service, and
• referral to a range of other services to help with family relationship and family separation issues
All callers are treated as anonymous, but will be asked for a few details to help identify them if they call again, to save on repetition.
Professionals making referrals at Centres or on the Advice Line will be guided by the “Referral Guidelines”and the “Screening and Assessment Framework”, both available via http://snipurl.com/1ivic
Family Relationships Online
This government web site at http://www.familyrelationships.gov.au provides referrals to the full range of available services for families, and information on the Centres, the Advice Line, and family law.
Information-delivery obligations of family law system professionals
The Australian Government is making changes to the family law system to better meet the needs of today’s families and improve outcomes for children. Most of these changes, which are part of the most significant reform of the family law system in 30 years, come into effect from July 2006. The main focus of the changes is on the way family separations are managed, to move away from long and costly court battles and towards more co-operative parenting solutions. Obligations set out in the Family Law Act include provision of specified information:
• information on parenting plans (e.g. services available to assist in the development of a plan, issues that the plan must address etc). This information must be provided by any legal practitioner, family counsellor, family dispute resolution practitioner or family consultant who is giving advice or assistance about parental responsibility or about the making of a plan
• the court and non-court services that are available to assist those affected by separation or divorce
• the services available to help with a reconciliation between parties to a marriage, and
• the family counselling services available to assist the parties, and the children, to adjust to court orders.
Accreditation of family dispute resolution practitioners and family counsellors
In order to ensure that the services delivered by family dispute resolution practitioners and family counsellors are of a high quality, an accreditation system is currently in development. Until this accreditation system is in place, the quality of family dispute resolution and family counselling services will be assured through the existing requirements imposed under legislation and funding agreements.
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