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Explore the birth and impact of the Toowoomba Family Law Collaborative Pilot Project aiming to provide comprehensive support and guidance to families navigating separation. The project involves various professionals working together to offer alternative family law resolutions to low to middle-income families. Find out more about this initiative and its research components, including training and evaluation phases. Learn about the Advocacy and Support Centre Inc.'s pivotal role in the project and their commitment to social justice. Discover how this project aims to reduce court applications and minimize the emotional toll of an adversarial system. Join us in promoting collaborative law practices and supporting families in need.
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The Advocacy and Support Centre Inc (TASC) “Lawyers with Soul” Showcasing The Toowoomba Family Law Collaborative Pilot Project
The Genesis of Collaborative Law • Stu Webb’s Solution • 1 January 1990 Collaborative Practice is born • Salvage operation v search & destroy mission • Interest v position based
The Genesis of the Toowoomba Family Law Collaborative Pilot Project (TFLCPP) • Marilyn Scott’s 6 month research project Relationships Australia (NSW) – Family Relationships Centre (FRC) in North Ryde, Sydney • Explore feasibility of offering an Interdisciplinary Collaborative Practice process to suitable FRC clients
The TFLCPP • Why Toowoomba? • Participants • TASC • FRC • Legal Aid Queensland • Domestic Violence Resource Service (DVRS) • Toowoomba Contact Centre • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations • Lifeline Darling Downs South West Queensland (Project Officer) • Qualified Collaborative Law legal practitioners • Financial specialists
The TFLCPP • Purpose • Comprehensive group of professionals to assist, guide and support parents and children through the separation process • Increased family law resolution alternatives available to low to middle income families, not necessarily eligible for a grant of legal aid • To reduce court applications • To minimise emotional impact of access to an adversarial system • TASC’s role • Identification of participants • Collation of evidence re: challenges and uptake by clients in regional areas • Lead participant in Toowoomba Family Law Pathways Network (TFLPN) • Lead participant in TFLCPP Practice Group • Provision of premises for legal process of framework • Participant on Steering Committee of Focus Groups for research projects
The TFLCPP Flowchart • See handout
The TFLCPP • Research components • Marilyn Scott (UTS, Sydney) and Dr Pauline Collins (USQ) – application to UNSW Law and Justice Foundation • Hayley Toombs (USQ Masters project) • Evaluation of all phases of CP process • Training • Dr Anne Purcell (Communication Specialist); John Thynne (Financial Neutral); Cassandra Pullos (CL Practitioner) • 18 participants from legal, community and financial sector trained in Introductory Interdisciplinary Collaborative Practice Training • Formal launch of Practice Group – 15 May 2015
Where to from here? • Referrals • Practice group • IACP Grant – research, practice development, promotion • Application to Legal Aid • Ongoing training
The Advocacy and Support Centre Inc “Social Justice for All” Visit us at www.tascinc.org.au Ph: (07) 4616 9700