Family Reports
FAMILY REPORTS
Karen is an experienced Independent Consultant and Report Writer and conducts Family Assessments for the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
What is a Family Report
A Family Report is a report that is organised during Family Law Proceedings. A Family Report provides information about each individual party involved in the proceedings, about the children involved and your family to assist the court to identify what is in the best interests of your children.
A Family Report can be commissioned through an Independent Children’s Lawyer (ICL), the Family Court or you can commission a Private Report yourself via your legal representative.
How is the information collected to compile a Family Report?
Once KKM Consulting Services commissioned to conduct a Family Report, you will be contacted by our office to organise interviews and assessments at a mutually convenient time for all parties concerned.
Karen will conduct interviews and assessments and speak with the adults/parents and children concerned in the Family Report. (Karen’s preferred method of compiling a Family Report is through the practice of a phone call to gather historical information and interviews and assessments being conducted at an office.)
Karen will meet with the parties directly concerned with the Family Report, the children involved, and where necessary, significant others.
A Family Report is designed to assist the court in determining such recommendations as:-
- Parental roles and responsibilities;
- How the children involved will spend time and communicate with each parent;
- Safety issues and risk assessment;
- Communication tools for parents;
- Post-separation support services and interventions that may assist children or adults such as attending parenting programs, counselling for example.
Information that may be collected at your interview:-
- Family history;
- Children’s history;
- Your children’s individual needs;
- All parties involved, their views, concerns and proposals;
- Safety issues to the children or adults;
- Your child’s views (A child will only be interviewed if they meet the requirements of an appropriate age to be interviewed, otherwise an observation only will occur).
There are many aspects that are assessed when compiling a Family Report and some of the issues that are taken into consideration are issues such as safety issues, drug and alcohol issues, domestic violence just to name a few.
How you can prepare for your interview and assessment for your Family Report:-
- Inform your child/children that Karen will be speaking to them to help the court work out what is in their best interests as to whom they spend time with.
- Think about what you feel is in the best interests of your child and why you think that is best for them.
- Consider any concerns or issues you wish to discuss and any proposals you would like to put forward.
- Bring snacks for the children and think about who can supervise them while your interview is taking place.
What happens with the information collected:-
Once the information has been collected and interviews, assessments and observations are conducted, Karen will collate the information into a comprehensive Family Report and release the report to the ICL or Legal Representatives commissioning the report. The Family Report will be a comprehensive independent document with recommendations to assist the Court in determining what is in the best interest of your child/children.
Who will see the report:
A copy of the Family Report will be given to:
The Legal Representative or ICL commissioning the report, who will file it with the Court and provide you with a copy.
At no times should the Family Report be given, shown or copied for anyone not associated with the report.