The Honourable Chief Justice William Alstergren AO highlighted the importance of ensuring children remain at the centre of Australia’s family law system when he opened the Sixth National Independent Children’s Lawyer Conference in Hobart.
In his opening keynote address, the Chief Justice acknowledged the critical role played by Independent Children’s Lawyers (ICLs) in ensuring the circumstances, experiences and views of children are put before the Court and able to be properly considered in family law proceedings. Where an ICL is appointed, they meet with children unless not appropriate to do so, and independently propose arrangements to ensure the best interests of each child are prioritised.
The work of ICLs is alongside that of the Court Children’s Service, which is staffed by psychologists and social workers who help support judicial officers within the Courts, through their specialist expertise in the needs of children in families that are separated.
“Children must always be at the centre of our decision making,” the Chief Justice told the conference.
The Chief Justice outlined child-focused initiatives developed by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, including Kids’ Corner , the Children’s Charter , the National Court Dog Program , Lighthouse , and specialist services for First Nations families .
The Courts launched the Kids’ Corner in October 2025, which is located on the Courts’ website and uses animated videos and age-appropriate language to help children understand family change, unfamiliar terminology and the court process. The resource was developed in consultation with children and is designed for an audience whose average age is seven.
“Kids’ Corner can help an ICL explain, in an age-appropriate way, some of the unfamiliar words a child may hear, the feelings they may experience, and the people and court processes they may encounter,” the Chief Justice said.
Children are individuals in their own right. They have experiences, relationships, fears, hopes, identities and views that may be different from those of either parent. If they have witnessed, or have been subjected to family violence, they must be identified as victims of family violence in their own right.”
The address came amid continued high levels of complexity and alleged risk in parenting matters before the Courts.
Key statistics
In the reporting year 2025-26:
- 4,153 Child Impact Reports and 2,817 Final Hearing Reports were delivered by the Court Children’s Service.
- 1,312 Parenting Dispute Resolution Conferences involved a Court Child Expert.
- 35,262 parties completed a Lighthouse risk screen, with 60 per cent classified as high risk.
- 80 per cent of parenting matters were mandatorily referred to a child welfare agency.
- The Courts’ eight facility dogs interacted with 1,086 children and supported 1,790 parties across 1,177 court hearings.
The Chief Justice also recognised the specialised skills and contribution of ICLs to the administration of family justice.
“The mark of a just family law system is whether it resolves disputes safely, fairly and with proper regard to the dignity, rights and individual circumstances of every child affected by its decisions,” the Chief Justice said.
“Independent Children’s Lawyers help the Courts focus on that standard. We still have a way to go, but we could not do it without you.”
The Sixth National Independent Children’s Lawyer Conference was held in Hobart on 20 October 2026, hosted by National Legal Aid, with a focus on domestic and family violence practice and trauma-informed engagement with children.
