HELP Toolkit: Identifying and Responding to Family Violence for Family Law Legal Advisers

Purpose of the toolkit

This toolkit was developed with input from family law and family violence experts from across Canada. It is designed to:

*Respond to research calling for a tool designed specifically for family law legal advisers to use in identifying and responding to family violence;

*Provide practical guidance to legal advisers to gather the information they need both for the family law case and to connect clients to other services to promote their safety;

*Assist legal advisers with varying levels of experience in dealing with cases involving family violence; and

*Be incorporated into a legal adviser’s existing practice and support them in using their own experience, expertise and professional judgment.

Please note that while the toolkit contains relevant background information and practical guidance, it is not intended to replace more comprehensive education and training on family violence; these are important to increase your understanding of the complex dynamics of family violence and family law. The Department of Justice Canada offers a free accredited online course on Family Violence and Family Law for Legal Advisers: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/fl-df/cfl-mdf/trai-form/index.html. Law societies, bar associations and many other organizations also offer training on family violence.