pdf [5.3MB] - Department of Families, Housing, Community Services

Family Relationship Centres are a first port of call for families. Through informationand referral, the centres help families strengthen relationships and deal withrelationship difficulties.Family Relationship Advice Line is a national telephone service providing freeinformation, advice and referral to assist people affected by family relationship orseparation issues.Family Relationships Online provides individuals and families with information aboutfamily relationship issues, ranging from building better relationships to disputeresolution.Children’s Contact Services provide a neutral venue for safe changeovers whenfamilies separate and the transfer of children from one parent to another is a problem.The Parenting Orders Program assists separating families in high conflict overparenting arrangements.Family Dispute Resolution is the legal name for services such as mediation andconciliation that help people affected by separation and divorce to sort out theirdisputes with each other.Regional Family Dispute Resolution is designed to meet the particular needs ofregional communities, providing a range of services to help separating families resolvedisputes and reach agreement on parenting arrangements, finances and property.Post Separation Cooperative Parenting services assist separated parents in conflict towork cooperatively over parenting arrangements.Supporting Children After Separation services help children from separating families todeal with issues arising from the breakdown in their parents’ relationship and toparticipate in decisions that impact on them.Research on efficacyA number of separate evaluations of particular FRSP sub-programs have been carried out inthe past, however a recent review (Young, 2004) attempted to assess the FRSP as a whole.It intended to gather information about the effectiveness of the overall FRSP program and itscontribution to strong family relationships. The findings of specific studies and the broaderreview are summarised below.Review of FRSP 2004Research findings on client perspectives on the FRSP program were highlighted by theReview on FRSP (2004). It was stated that client research was conducted through 10discussion groups and 46 one-to-one interviews with existing users across 11 sub-programsand non-users/potential clients including parents, couples and people involved in the courtsystem. Interviews were conducted in the locations of Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, as wellas Bunbury, Ballarat and Cairns.This client research found (Young, 2004): Overall user reaction to FRSP services was overwhelmingly positive, with usersexpressing a high level of satisfaction with these services and being able to identifypositive outcomes resulting from them. Users reported that services accessed had assisted them in achieving: More effective communication with partners, ex-partners and children. More effective family relationships and a decrease in family tensions.59