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family law practices. Screening for risk is increasingly
the norm in the work of court based and non-court
based family law processes. It has become an
essential component of family law processes. Our
clients will not always tell us about their fears, and are
less likely to tell us about their abuses. Every case with
which we work has potential to present histories of
violence, or other complexities (self-harm, child
abuse, mental health issues, drug and alcohol abuse,
or alienation). In order to undertake ANY family law
process, we must ensure that our interventions will do
no further harm.

With this in mind, we have included information about
case complexity. It is our belief that all family law
practitioners should undertake regular training in the
skills of screening, risk assessment and safety planning
for all forms of case complexity.

Complexity is not always a contra-indicator to an ADR
processes, providing the ADR processes has been
tailored to the needs of the case; with complexity in
mind. Equally, complexity is not a contra indicator of
the inclusion of the child voice. Providing the process
of bringing the child’s voice to parents has been
designed with the case complexity in mind.

The principles under which we therefore work are:
 Inclusion of children
Children of separating parents are not the objects
of their parents’ separation. They are
participants in the separation. Children have
views and they need to be heard. Therefore, we