Headline of the fortnight
Social workers as witnesses in family proceedings court...in the spotlight Involvement with the judicial system is something most people dread. Whether speeding offence or murder charge, it's bewildering and frightening. People visualise heckling barristers in strange costumes, last-minute new evidence and dramatic final twists. In reality, most courts aren't like this, and family courts certainly aren't. Nevertheless, the language is often strange, nobody checks that everyone understands what's happening, and the outcome seems to result from a conspiracy between everyone else in court. The whole unfamiliar process is daunting, for both professionals and families enmeshed in what are very stressful situations. Attending court becomes part of every professional's working life and becomes easier with time but the prospect of attending court, particularly for the first time, probably causes many sleepless nights. For parties, court appearances add extra tensions to families often least well-equipped to cope. For both social workers and their clients, information will help de-mystify the process, freeing everyone to concentrate on the prime purpose - the child's welfare." Read more
| |
