Child and family law

Your local generalist Community Legal Centre can help you with information about family law and the law as it relates to children. Some also offer services such as Carer and Liable Parents Child Support Services, Intervention Order Support Programs and divorce classes. See the Find a Local CLC section of our website.

The following generalist and specialist CLCs have expertise in the area of family law and provide a range of services and resources.

• Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service (FVPLS)
  FVPLS provides specialised family violence and family law advice to indigenous women in Victoria. Services not dependent on where you live.
• Family Mediation Centre
  The Family Mediation Centre is a specialist CLC that provides individuals, couples, families and children with practical assistance in resolving and managing conflict. It offers high quality mediation, counselling, education and information services. Services not dependent on where you live.
• Barwon Community Legal Service 
  Barwon Community Legal Service is a generalist CLC with expertise in child support matters. Services provided only to people within the centre’s catchment area.
• Mental Health Legal Centre
  The Mental Health Legal Centre is a specialist CLC with expertise in family law, guardianship and administration problems. Services not dependent on where you live.
• Peninsula Community Legal Centre
  Peninsula Community Legal Centre is a generalist CLC with expertise in child support matters. They also run an Intervention Order Support Program at Frankston Magistrates` Court. Services provided only to people within the centre’s catchment area.
• Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service
  The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service is a specialist CLC that handles some family law matters. Services provided to all Victorian Indigenous residents.
• Women’s Legal Service Victoria
  The Women’s Legal Service Victoria is a specialist CLC that provides legal services, casework and representation, telephone advice and referral, community education, information and training, and undertakes law reform activities on issues affecting women. Services not dependent on where you live. The Women’s Legal Service Victoria also co-ordinate the Family Law Duty lawyer service at the Family Court.

The Federation of Community Legal Centres facilitates the Child Support Working Group which is made up of staff from member organisations. The working groups advocate for social justice and law reform in relation to family law and the law as it relates to children. The Federation also supports the Child Protection Task Group, which advocates for positive reforms and increased resources to the child protection system.

For contact details, see the working groups and task groups pages.

Publications

Applying for an Intervention Order, 2006 (10^th edition)

Responding to an Intervention Order, 2006 (10^th edition)
Published by the Victoria Law Foundation and Victoria Legal Aid, these booklets provide information on intervention orders. Download Applying for an Intervention Order and Responding to an Intervention Order from the Victoria Legal Aid website. You can also call Victoria Legal Aid on 9269 0120 or 1800 677 402 (country callers) to order publications.

Child support and parentage testing, 2007 (2^nd edition)
Published by Victoria Legal Aid, this booklet explains how child support works and how to prove parentage. Download Child support and parentage testing from the Victoria Legal Aid website. You can also call Victoria Legal Aid on 9269 0120 or 1800 677 402 (country callers) to order publications.

Victoria Legal Aid publish other publications about family law so visit the Publications section of the Victoria Legal Aid website for more information and to download the publications for free.

Child Support - an easy to read guide for parents and community workers, 2006
Published by the Geelong Community Legal Service, this booklet provides parents and community workers with an easy to read guide in all matters related to child maintenance. Download Child Support - an easy to read guide for parents and community workers from the Geelong Community Legal Service website.

Guns and Intervention Orders
Published by Brimbank/Melton Community Legal Centre at Community West, this leaflet is available by calling the Centre on 9971 1800 or emailing them at info@communitywest.org.au.

Relationships and Centrelink: Frequently asked Questions, 2005
Published by the Illawarra Community Legal Centre (NSW), this is an excellent booklet. Download Relationships and Centrelink: Frequently asked Questions from the Welfare Rights Unit website.

Websites

Attorney-General’s Department – Families
This section of the Attorney-General’s site has background information on the family law system and sections dealing with children, protection, alternatives to court, support, relationships, getting legal help and property.

Family Court of Australia
The Family Court of Australia’s website has a wealth of information, including a student resource kit, an introduction to family law, a step-by-step guide to proceedings, brochures, do-it-yourself kits and information for children.

Human Services Victoria – Family
This section on the Human Service’s site is a portal to the various state government families and children offices, programs and resources.

PLEASE NOTE: Information on this website does not substitute for legal advice.