The Advocacy and Support Centre Inc TASC Lawyers

The Advocacy and Support Centre Inc (TASC) “Lawyers with Soul” Showcasing The Toowoomba Family Law Collaborative Pilot Project

The Genesis of Collaborative Law Stu Webb’s Solution 1 January 1990 Collaborative Practice is born Salvage operation v search & destroy mission Interest v position based

The Genesis of the Toowoomba Family Law Collaborative Pilot Project (TFLCPP) Marilyn Scott’s 6 month research project Relationships Australia (NSW) – Family Relationships Centre (FRC) in North Ryde, Sydney Explore feasibility of offering an Interdisciplinary Collaborative Practice process to suitable FRC clients

The TFLCPP Why Toowoomba? Participants TASC FRC Legal Aid Queensland Domestic Violence Resource Service (DVRS) Toowoomba Contact Centre Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations Lifeline Darling Downs South West Queensland (Project Officer) Qualified Collaborative Law legal practitioners Financial specialists

The TFLCPP Purpose Comprehensive group of professionals to assist, guide and support parents and children through the separation process Increased family law resolution alternatives available to low to middle income families, not necessarily eligible for a grant of legal aid To reduce court applications To minimise emotional impact of access to an adversarial system TASC’s role Identification of participants Collation of evidence re: challenges and uptake by clients in regional areas Lead participant in Toowoomba Family Law Pathways Network (TFLPN) Lead participant in TFLCPP Practice Group Provision of premises for legal process of framework

The TFLCPP Flowchart See handout

The TFLCPP Research components Marilyn Scott (UTS, Sydney) and Dr Pauline Collins (USQ) – application to UNSW Law and Justice Foundation Hayley Toombs (USQ Masters project) Evaluation of all phases of CP process Training Dr Anne Purcell (Communication Specialist); John Thynne (Financial Neutral); Cassandra Pullos (CL Practitioner) ○ 18 participants from legal, community and financial sector trained in Introductory Interdisciplinary Collaborative Practice Training ○ Formal launch of Practice Group – 15 May 2015

Where to from here? Referrals Practice group IACP Grant – research, practice development, promotion Application to Legal Aid Ongoing training

The Advocacy and Support Centre Inc “Social Justice for All” Visit us at www. tascinc. org. au Ph: (07) 4616 9700