Remote family dispute resolution during and after COVID-19: Client and practitioner perspectives

We’re proud to launch the first in a series of research and evaluation summaries. They are designed to share the outcomes of key projects and initiatives relating to our services, clients and community needs. 

This first summary focuses on the perspectives of family dispute resolution (FDR) clients and practitioners during and after COVID-19. It highlights the advantages and challenges of remote family dispute resolution, as well as the learnings that can be considered by Relationships Australia Victoria and the sector more broadly. 

When COVID-19 broke out in Victoria in early 2020, governments implemented severe restrictions on personal interactions, making face-to-face, ‘business as usual’ family dispute resolution service delivery impossible. 

In order to continue to help separating couples to resolve their parenting and property matters, we made a rapid and wholesale shift to remote delivery via telephone and videoconferencing. We consequently evaluated the remote delivery of our COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 FDR services. 

This easy-to-read, 2-page summary shares the key findings of our 2022 Family Court Review article, ‘Remote family dispute resolution services for COVID and post-COVID times: client and practitioner perspectives'. 

We’re committed to undertaking research that supports and informs service delivery and government, and we believe that this summary will be a useful and accessible tool for professionals across the family law and social services sectors.