Annual report [1997-98] - Family Court of Australia

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The Family Court of Australia – annual report 1997-98 Publications program The Family Court continues its commitment to enhancing access to justice and in 1997-98 the Court expanded its range of information resources to explain its procedures and services, with a particular focus on the needs of the increasing number of unrepresented litigants using the Court’s services. ■ In June 1998 a new kit was made available to help unrepresented litigants prepare for a final hearing in the Family Court. This takes the Court’s catalogue of plain language doit-yourself kits to four, with it joining the Consent Orders kit, the Divorce Kit and Parenting Plan Kit. ■ Two new brochures were developed for children attending counselling when a Family Report has been ordered. ■ The Court, in conjunction with Victoria Legal Aid, the Office of the Public Advocate and with the support of the Department of Human Services, produced a book called ‘A Question of Right Treatment. The Family Court and Special Medial Procedures for Children – an introductory guide of use in Victoria’. The book is similar to that produced by the Court in December 1996 for use in Queensland. Both aim to increase awareness of the need for Family Court authorisation for special medical procedures on children and young adults. ■ Changes to the Family Law Regulations in relations to fees, exemptions and waivers prompted the Court to review its related procedures and included the production of a set of new forms drafted in plain language for use in our registries to help simplify the process for applying for an exemption or waiver. An information sheet on fees and a guide on how to apply for a waiver based on financial hardship was also produced. ■ Areview of the Court’s brochures undertaken in the past financial year, particularly of those materials provided to customers attending Information Sessions, saw work begin on a major new project to consolidate the information into one small pocket-sized book. The publication, to be called the Family Court Book, will also incorporate a wide range of additional procedural advice. It is expected to be available late 1998. ■ The Court is preparing a second video on its counselling services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders following the appointment of two indigenous family consultants for Far North Queensland. Asimilar video was produced in 1996-97 for use in the Northern Territory. It is expected to be available early 1999. Forms on Disk At 30 June 1998, the Court’s Forms on Disk product was in release 3.1 which was made available in time for the launch of the new pro forma ‘Affidavit – interim residence, contact and specific issues’ introduced nationally under Practice Direction 1 of 1998 on 11 May. Currently 48 forms are available as automated word-processing templates in five formats: Word 6 for Windows; Word 6.01 for Macintosh, Word 2 for Windows, WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS and WordPerfect 6.1 for Windows. The disk sets are made available on a costrecovery basis. Release 3.1 is available at $160 from the Court’s publications unit on tel (03) 9642 4748. 51
The Family Court of Australia – annual report 1997-98 The Court’s catalogue* of general (Non-prescribed) information materials includes: ■ Information Sessions – find out more about children and property – brochure ■ Financial matters (conciliation counselling) – brochure ■ Parental responsibility and parenting orders – brochure ■ Appeal Procedure – advice to appellant in person – brochure ■ Confidential Counselling in the Family Court – brochure ■ Information about counselling for children – brochure for older children ■ Why am I coming to see a counsellor – brochure for young children ■ Questions & Answers: these frequently asked questions may help you – information sheet ■ No longer partners but continuing as parents – information sheet ■ Parent and child relationships after separation – information sheet ■ Questions and Answers about Divorce for Children – a booklet for children involved in family breakdown ■ Children and Separation; a guide for parents – a booklet to help parents understand children’s reactions to family breakdown and to help them minimise the trauma experienced by children. ■ Divorce Kit – for when there are children ■ Divorce Kit – for when there are no children ■ Parenting Plan Kit ■ Consent Orders Kit 1 (for all applicable orders) ■ Consent Orders Kit 2 (for use when no children’s orders are sought) ■ How to prepare for a hearing in the Family Court – kit ■ Moving Forward – video (based on the Court’s Information Sessions) ■ Changes to the Family Law Act – ‘The Importance of Children’– video (produced in conjunction with the Attorney-General’s Department) ■ The Family Court of Australia – Aboriginal Services – video Single copies of all printed materials are free from each registry of the Court. Bulk supplies are available in accordance with the Court’s cost-recovery policy. Under the policy, practitioners and organisations funded wholly or in party by the Commonwealth to provide services in the family law area are provided with supplies in bulk with charges based on postage and printing costs. Bulk supplies of prescribed materials required to be distributed in accordance with the Family Law Rules incur only postage charges. Community-based organisations not funded to provide family law services are asked only to meet postage costs. *A number of brochures were withdrawn from the inventory during the last quarter of 1997-98 as existing stocks were depleted in anticipation of the new Family Court Book becoming available. Others were replaced by information sheets. Brochures withdrawn from the inventory have been omitted from this list. 52
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Annual report [1997-98] - Family Court of Australia

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