Domestic and family violence and private family report writing practice in the Australian family law system: A study

In Australia, family reports are an influential expert assessment
of a family usually undertaken in contentious family law
parenting matters by social workers or psychologists, known as
family report writers. This article presents findings from in depth interviews with 10 private family report writers about their
experience of undertaking assessments, particularly in cases
where domestic and family violence is alleged. The study
reveals a number of concerns that mirror the findings of previous
Australian and international research in this area. For example,
concerns were raised about the quality and efficacy of training
and access to other resources, professional isolation, the efficacy
of the family report assessment process, and divergence in
understandings of domestic and family violence. A critical issue
raised in the study relates to the pro-contact and co-parenting
culture of the Australian family law system, which can
significantly impact the family report writing process and may
have repercussions for the safety of victims of domestic and
family violence and their children. Responding to and drawing
from the family report writers’ lived experiences, we offer
suggestions for reform that aim to improve the efficacy of the
family report assessment process and therefore the justice and
safety of outcomes in matters where a family report is deemed
necessary.