Child-responsive practices in Australian family law: past problems and future directions ⋆

This paper considers key systemic issues that have to dateconstrained the hearing of children’s voices in both litigationand mediation processes in Australian family law. It is proposedthat the time is now right for child-focused and child-inclusiveapproaches, described in this and previous publications, tobecome the default position in mediated disputes over childrenfollowing separation. The application of child-inclusive practiceto non-adversarial forms of litigation is also considered