Domestic abuse training for family lawyers

Key course features

This training is designed to enhance family lawyers’ skills in:

• Identifying and evidencing domestic abuse and coercive control, including the legal framework, definitions and terminology around DA and the different forms that abuse may take with a focus on diversity and inclusion
• Understanding the impact of new case law and statute on how the court understands and responds to coercive and controlling behaviour
• Practising appropriate multi-agency working to manage risk and support clients safely
• Identifying the impacts of abuse on victims and their children, and on survivor’s mental health and coping mechanisms
• Using a practical approach to responding to trauma to achieve best evidence and effectively engage clients
• At the end of the session we will hold a ‘case clinic’ where you can bring your domestic abuse case concerns.

Time commitment

One day, online (via Zoom). The duration of the session is 7 hours.

Eligibility

This course is suitable for any legal professionals working in England or Wales.

Price

£150 per learner.

For our in-house training courses, please enquire for information and prices via the ‘Available Training‘ area below.

How to apply

Simply click on a suitable date or button below.

Accessibility

We welcome learners of all backgrounds and abilities. If you have any accessibility or diversity needs, please let us know so we can ensure the right support is in place. You can contact us at [email protected].

Why this domestic abuse training for family lawyers?

• In 2020, the Ministry of Justice Family Harms Panel report recommended a wide range of training “for all participants in the family justice system, including: a cultural change programme to introduce and embed reforms to private law children’s proceedings and help to ensure consistent implementation”.

• Our own response to the review highlighted the need for specialist training across the whole family justice system and as a result, SafeLives has developed a cultural-change training programme to create systemic transformation within the family justice system and strengthen practitioners’ capacity to respond well to domestic abuse, kindly funded by the Legal Education Foundation.

• This training, and its impact, is evidence-backed and thoroughly evaluated. You can learn more about the training development and learners’ evaluations in our report, “Is there a human being behind that?”

Background to the domestic abuse training for family lawyers 

• During the aforementioned project, we undertook discovery research with survivors of domestic abuse, family legal professionals, and domestic abuse practitioners. We shared the results of this research in two interim reports which reveal a lack of understanding, trauma awareness and support for victims of domestic abuse in the family court. The reports also identify key gaps in lawyers’ understanding, including coercive control and other non-physical forms of abuse.

• In our report: “Don’t complain” Domestic abuse survivors’ experiences of family lawyers, survivors told SafeLives they felt judged, often misunderstood, and ignored during the court process. A survivor who felt silenced by her lawyer told us she was advised not to complain when she noted that reports were incorrect or were missing vital information.#

• In our report: “Hit and miss” Family lawyers’ understanding of domestic abuse, legal professionals and domestic abuse practitioners identified key gaps in lawyers’ understanding.

• These gaps can prevent them from being able to identify and appropriately respond to survivors of domestic abuse.

Far more than a course…

• Professionals from the legal sector also told us that despite some great examples of excellent practice, few lawyers tend to show they understand what it might feel like for survivors to go through the family justice system which can “replicate the power and control dynamics” of domestic abuse. 

• We want to see a reformed and informed family justice system where survivors of domestic abuse have faith in the system – where the safety of adult and child survivors is paramount and where better, safer social justice outcomes are achieved.  

• A better understanding of the manipulative behaviours, particularly coercion and control, used by perpetrators, and of the reasons why victims do not leave relationships, is essential for professionals associated with the family court process.

• Much more than a training course, this culture change programme will have the power to improve outcomes for survivors, as lawyers are better equipped to advise their clients, and restore trust in the family justice system as survivors feel believed and protected.

• We are proud to be working with VOICES who are our specialist partner ensuring survivor voice guides the development of the training.

• An Advisory Group inputs into the programme, including domestic abuse organisations, family legal professionals, academics, and representatives from the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s Office.