The ‘High Conflict Families in Family Law – Good Practice Forum’ was held on Monday the 7th of May 2018. Sponsored by the Family Law Pathways Network Greater Melbourne, the forum was facilitated by Gilbert Rouchecourte of VillageWell and featured guest speakers Dr. Jennifer Neoh, as well as an expert panel and presentations from member organisations. The target audience included workers assisting change with high conflict families who are currently going through legal proceedings, specifically designed for workers of Victoria’s POP/PSCOP programs.
The forum brought a range of workers together to share practice expertise and develop collaborative relationships. The day’s learning framework focused on a whole-of-family approach, emphasizing that the children’s best interests must be the paramount consideration in high conflict circumstances when clients are court ordered to attend a POP or counselling session. Together, the presenters, panel members and attendees deliberated and discussed methods to facilitate effective practice when dealing with volatile families in this context.
The speakers were well received by the attendees whom found the forum to be a great opportunity for collaborative thinking and information sharing. The group activities in preparation for the panel discussion produced a plenary of valuable insights and practical learnings, with attendees actively and enthusiastically engaging with their colleagues. Overall, the forum was a success thanks to the wealth of knowledge in the room and sagacity of the presenters.