In March 1999, Women's Legal Aid proposed that Legal Aid Queensland endorse and implement an integrated, collaborative and consistent response to clients who have been affected by domestic violence. This followed concerns of community organizations about the manner in which the legal system deals with clients who have been affected by domestic violence.
As a result, the Violence Against Women Strategy was developed and coordinated by a group of in-house practitioners and Women's Legal Aid. The strategy was endorsed by LAQ and included in the 1999-00 Strategic Plan.
The Violence Against Women Strategy has developed and implemented a number of practical tools for LAQ's practitioners. In order to protect the safety of LAQ staff and clients when dealing with domestic and sexual violence we developed and implemented practice standards, risk assessment tool and updated internal policies to include a response to staff experiencing domestic violence.
The development of the "best practice guidelines for working with people affected by domestic violence" was the first set of standards soon to be followed by the "practice standards for lawyers working with clients who have experienced sexual violence". The guidelines have become part of the induction process for legal advice family lawyers and are included in the service agreements with preferred suppliers.
In 2004-05 this strategy concentrated on the development of the "domestic violence risk assessment tool" and revised LAQ policies resulting in subsequent inclusion of specific procedures to support staff experiencing domestic violence.
Best Practice Guidelines for working with people affected by domestic violence
Following the development of this strategy a conference was held in October 1999, which explored issues of violence and culture and the way that these issues are treated by lawyers, family law conference chairs, family report writers and Legal Aid Queensland's Client Information Services call centre. Legal practitioners and community organisations recommended at this conference that best practice standards be developed in relation to service provision to clients who have been affected by domestic or family violence.
Draft practice standards were developed by LAQ and were circulated for feedback from community organizations and preferred suppliers. Specific consultations occurred with community organisations. A Violence Against Women forum occurred in November 2000, and feedback was provided from a broad range of people.
This feedback was collated and included in the practice standards. The standards are being referred to as Best Practice Guidelines because LAQ does not intend to enforce the standards, but rather, endorses them as guidelines for practitioners, in order to ensure the highest quality service to clients.
The Best Practice Guidelines have been developed for use by the following practitioners:
- Family report writers
- Lawyers
- Conference chairs
- Child representatives
- LAQ's Client Information Services call centre.
Women's Legal Aid provides ongoing training in relation to the guidelines and oversees their implementation in LAQ.
Practice guidelines for lawyers working with clients who have experienced sexual violence
Following the development of the Best Practice Guidelines for working with people affected by domestic violence initial consultations were held with the sexual assault non-government sector and the Victims of Crime Compensation Unit (VOCCU) regarding the development of Best Practice Guidelines for working with sexual assault victims for VOCCU lawyers. The non-government sector recommended the development of the Best Practice Guidelines for working with sexual assault victims for VOCCU lawyers as a separate document to the Best Practice Guidelines for Working with Clients Affected by Domestic Violence.
Draft guidelines were developed by WLA and circulated for feedback to key sexual assault services and VOCCU. The guidelines were approved by senior management and sexual assault services provided training to LAQ staff regarding their implementation.
Domestic violence risk assessment tool
In 2004 following several Brisbane domestic homicides, WLA in consultation with LAQ's Civil Senior Legal Consultant and First Advice Contact Team, developed and implemented this screening tool.
Domestic Violence Policy
In 2004-05 LAQ amended its internal policies to include a response to staff experiencing domestic violence. Women's Legal Aid revised internal policies and recommended that specific procedures to deal with staff experiencing domestic violence be incorporated in the Workplace Behaviours Policy and Code of Conduct.