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SafeLives commissioned to develop training for family law practitioners

SafeLives have been commissioned by the Legal Education Foundation to develop and deliver a series of training courses for family law practitioners.

Family courts can be traumatising places for survivors of domestic abuse. Many victims and survivors describe their experience as being worse than the abuse they have experienced to date or see it as forming part of an ongoing pattern of abuse.

I was told by my solicitors that the Judge had made it clear that by using the screens I will prove that I am unable to co-parent properly, in which case he would remove both children from me because I would be reinforcing my daughter’s fear of her father.

*Laura, a survivor supported by VOICES

SafeLives are pleased to announce that applications for the first pilot training courses are now open. The domestic abuse training for family lawyers is designed to:

  • improve understanding of coercive control amongst family legal professionals, who are advising survivors of domestic abuse:
  • Improve trust in the family justice system by ensuring the safety of adult and child victims is prioritised during the court process
  • Create a replicable culture change training programme for family legal professionals which could be rolled out nationally.

Over 2 million people aged 16-74 suffer some form of domestic abuse every year in the UK, and many children are victimised, too

An average of two women are killed a week by current or ex-partners in England and Wales, and estimates suggest the suicide rate for women who cannot reach safety is even higher

Read the Report

Creating transformation within the family justice system and strengthening practitioner capacity to respond to domestic abuse

“…Don’t complain” – Domestic abuse survivors’ experiences of family lawyers

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Family Courts Review: response

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Two people in suits walking towards a court door.

Training for family lawyers

Domestic abuse training for family lawyers empowers family lawyers to take a trauma-informed approach to representing survivors of domestic abuse, understand the dynamics of abuse, recognise the effect of trauma on clients’ presentation, explain the impact of domestic abuse on children and young people, and enable clients to achieve best evidence. Moreover, the course keeps learners up to date with recent statute and case law.