The truth about family reports and the people who write them
Family law proceedings in Australia often include a request or requirement by the Court for a family report to be written. Let’s explore what this involves. If you have feedback about a good or bad family report writer, you can provide it here.
What is a Family Report?
A Family Report is a document prepared by a court-appointed family consultant during family law proceedings in Australia. It provides an independent assessment of the issues affecting the family, particularly focusing on the best interests of the children involved.
The report is used by the court to assist in making decisions about parenting arrangements, custody, and other matters related to the welfare of the children.
The family consultant may interview parents, children, and other significant figures in the child’s life. The report typically includes observations, opinions, and recommendations based on these interviews and the consultant’s professional expertise.
How is a Family Report Writer Appointed?
In family law cases in Australia, a report writer, also known as a family consultant, is appointed by the court. The appointment typically occurs when the court decides that an independent assessment would be helpful.
The report writer is usually a psychologist, sometimes a child psychologist, or social worker with specialised training in family law matters.
The court either selects the report writer from a pool of approved professionals or may accept recommendations from the parties involved in the case. Once appointed, the report writer’s role is to provide an unbiased evaluation of family dynamics, parental qualities, and child vulnerabilities.
Are Report Writers Fair?
“No” is the short answer. Report writers are human beings, and like all people, they are subject to normal human biases. While they are meant to be impartial and professional, their assessments are influenced by their own experiences, beliefs, and the environment in which they work.
In the context of family law, report writers often rely on the family court for ongoing work, which influences their evaluations. They tend to align with the prevailing culture and practices of the court system, which has a profound bias against fathers.
Systemic bias can affect the content and recommendations of Family Reports, leading to outcomes that do not fairly reflect the interests of all parties involved and which are ultimately harmful to children.
Guidelines for Posting an Anonymous Review
Your feedback helps parents deal with the family law system. Both positive and negative reviews help others make informed decisions.
- No Identifying details. Avoid names, case numbers, or specifics that could identify individuals.
- Focus on experience. Share how the report writer handled your case, without violating privacy.
- Be respectful. Offer constructive feedback without using defamatory language.
- Follow family law rules. Under Australian law, you must not disclose specific details of family court proceedings, including names and identifying information.
Kindman
This happened in Canberra a while ago and I forget the consultant’s name but my memories are clear. The report writer gave weakly based recommendations for my kids to be mainly left in the care of their mother. I intended to cross-examine the consultant but, luckily, the mother finally agreed to even care arrangements before I got the chance.
One major problem is that the interview with the kids was scheduled during the mother’s care time. The mother told my young daughter that she wouldn’t be able to see her (the mother) much unless she said that she was the preferred parent.
The report writer was a psychologist and stupidly gave this test with questions such as, when you get angry, do you (a) lash out or (b) remain calm. The mother aced the test of course, as anyone with half a brain would.
I paid several thousand dollars for this damned report at the court’s request. I would recommend to any father to avoid these reports if possible as the report writers are part of the system and unlikely to help you and your children.