wading through molasses the unintended outcomes of a non-systemic approach to family law, child...
TRANSCRIPT
Wading through molasses
The unintended outcomes of a non-systemic approach to family law, child protection and domestic violence legislation
Amanda Lee-RossManager, CRDVS
A systemic approach
System: a collection of inter-related parts that work together by way of some driving process
In the system there are sub-systems and these have functional and structural relationship to each other
To work well, the parts need feedback to ensure they are working together properly
There must be a presence of a driving force and some degree of integration
Funded by Department of Communities2
A non-systemic approach
Currently, no systemic approach to D&FV, child protection and family court
Yet it is rare for D&FV to occur without some involvement with these jurisdictions
Little or no feedback between these sub-systems Each has a different ‘driving force’ which leads to
unintended outcomes
Funded by Department of Communities3
Driving Forces
Victim safety and the elimination of violence Child safety and protection Best interests of the child
Multiple, diverse and/or competing forces leads to…
Funded by Department of Communities4
Case 1
Mrs X – 34 years old, NESB Dr X – 36 years old, NESB Two children First contact Dec 2005 via another service Exparte Police DVPO application made 22 Dec 2005 Exparte Order made 8 March 2006 April to June 2006 – flees to country of origin, then
UK, returns “to be with my children”
Funded by Department of Communities6
Case 1 continued
July 2006 continued physical abuse, threats to “slaughter” her
No knowledge of DVPO as Dr X had destroyed the paperwork posted to her
Discussed safety plan and options: Shelter, Breach, Family Court, Immigration
September 2006 continued abuse, enters shelter with children
Begins Family Court proceedings and works with legal service re refugee status
Funded by Department of Communities7
Case 1 continued
Residency of children given to Dr X as Mrs X has no ‘permanent’ home nor income at interim hearing
December 2006 – Mrs X feels she has no choice but to move back in with DR X to be with her children and is ‘pressured’ into dropping FLC proceedings
February 2007 police attend further incident and press breach charges. Bail conditions against Dr X prohibiting residence. Magistrates makes temporary vary to DVPO
Funded by Department of Communities8
Case 1 continued
Immigration process begins in earnest DR X pleads guilty to breach 27 February 2007 DVPO vary court process continues from February
2007 to 20 April 2007 Dr X tries to use immigration as a reason for not
granting a vary to the DVPO Family Court process begins March 2007 Interim residency of the children again given to Dr X
Funded by Department of Communities9
Case 1 continued
September 2007 – Good news! Permanent residency granted
March 2008 – Mrs X still does not have permanent home nor regular income so children still residing with Dr X
April 2008 Mrs X states that she is feeling “very tired” and “as though nothing has really progressed”
May 2008 - living ‘separated under the same roof’
Funded by Department of Communities10
Case 1 continued
7 June 2008 Dr X “tiptoes” into the house and allegedly sexually assaults Mrs X
Mrs X too shocked and upset to report to police Changes her bedroom door lock 20 June 2008 Divorce settlement expected 28 July 2008 31 July 2008 – settlement still not received. 30 August 2008 further physical abuse September 2008 settlement arrives
Funded by Department of Communities11
Case 1 continued
30 October 2008 police DVPO application in relation to August incident
27 Nov 2008 order made November 2008 Mrs X leaves town with the children
– residency granted to her 2009 Dr X has ‘new’ wife and baby
Funded by Department of Communities12
Case 2
Ms Y – white Australian, long-term de facto relationship
4 children aged between 5 and 15 years of age (eldest being child of her de facto)
June 2006 – domestic violence incident results in a police DVPO and Child Safety removal of the children for 6 weeks
December 2006 – Ms Y is feeling “inundated” by the requirements of DCS case management
Funded by Department of Communities13
Case 2 continued
11 December 2006 assaulted by de facto - breach charges laid
Pressure from DCS to vary order to no contact January 2007 Ms Y reports feeling unsure of her
parenting abilities and missing de facto Eldest child ‘playing up’ 24 January 2007 Ms Y’s de facto sentenced to
intensive corrections order for 2 years. Ms Y reports feeling “disappointed by the system”
Funded by Department of Communities14
Case 2 continued
February 2007 Ms Y reports that her ex-de facto is attending a behaviour change group but that the facilitator does not “hold out much hope”
March 2007 – pressure from her ex-de facto and her children missing their father. DVPO varied to allow contact but no residency
May 2007 – DCS call on Ms Y to let her know they are closing her case. However, ex-de facto is there and tells them they are reuniting
Funded by Department of Communities15
Case 2 continued
Ms Y manages to convince DCS this is not the case August 2007 – another incident of physical violence
against Ms Y. Ex-de facto released on bail October 2007 – further threats and harassment from
ex-de facto even though he is still on probation, perpetrated during child contact
January 2008 – Ms Y has her fingers slammed in a door jam. Experiencing great difficulties in breaching ex-de facto
Funded by Department of Communities16
Case 2 continued
Pressure from DCS to have children added to DVPO, however no incidents against them so magistrate reluctant to add. Also, this will not stop her ex-de facto from having child contact and therefore contact with her
February 2008 – children taken into care due to Ms Y’s ‘failure to protect’ stemming from an incident involving her ex-de facto’s eldest child who was in the care of her ex-de facto at the time
Funded by Department of Communities17
Case 3
Mrs Z – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman, aged 28
Mr Z – white Australian, aged 28 4 children aged between 11 and 4, one has a
learning disability May 2007 – physically violent incident resulting in
Mrs Z entering shelter with her children and DVPO application taken out
Mr Z reports them ‘missing’ to police
Funded by Department of Communities18
Case 3 continued
Police are aware that Mrs Z and children are safe and well and advise Mr Z
Mr Z seeks, and is granted, an Urgent Recovery Order in the Family Court
Police arrive at shelter and remove children from Mrs Z
27 May 2007 – interim order giving residency to Mr Z as Mrs Z does not have a ‘permanent’ home
29 May 2007 – DVPO application adjourned for hearing in July 2007
Funded by Department of Communities19
Case 3 continued
16 July 2007 – incident of physical violence against Mrs Z whilst child contact taking place
17 July 2007 – hearing does not proceed, matter adjourned with no temp order in place on grounds that there was a ‘good behaviour’ order issued by the federal magistrate in Family Court
17 July 2007 - Applied for Urgent TPO with assistance from CRDVS. Case re-opened, after much legal argument, TPO granted
Funded by Department of Communities20
Case 3 continued
CRDVS worker takes Mrs Z to A&E Dept for assessment of her injuries and secured shelter
DCS informed by police of incident 31 July 2007 – Mr Z files cross DVPO application
and is granted TPO 21 August 2007 – Mr Z agrees (w’out admissions) to
full no contact order against him and Mrs Z agrees to a basic order against her
Funded by Department of Communities21
Case 3 continued
Mrs Z is ‘devastated’ by the outcome, feels pressured into it and sees this as a major ‘blow’ in getting her kids back
September 2007 – Mrs Z takes a cocktail of booze and prescription drugs but rings CRDVS worker
Police called and Mrs Z is taken to Mental Health Service for assessment
DCS now involved along with Family Court proceedings
Funded by Department of Communities22
Case 3 continued
Mrs Z is allowed contact with her children but at the residence of Mr Z
July 2009 – Mrs Z does not have residency of her children and is only able to see them sporadically
Cannot ‘face’ going through the system to try and get amended Family Court Orders
Funded by Department of Communities23