Australian Family Relationship Centres: doubt cast over effectiveness of family counselling

As legislation soon to be passed in Parliament will make it compulsory for separating couples to attend three hours’ worth of free counselling, doubts are being raised over the effectiveness and suitability of the services being provided by Family Relationship Centres, where such counselling will take place.

Couples risk being advised by staff who are underqualified or ill-experienced to deal with the complex issues that often go with a separation, including issues of custody and domestic violence.

Staff in existing centres must meet a high level of professional qualification, and organisations that run family mediation and counselling services must be accredited by the Department of Family and Community Services.

However, new centres, of which there are expected to be around 65 by next year, may not require staff to reach the same high standard.

An information paper on the Family Relationship Centres prepared by the Attorney-General’s Department says that staff running the three-hour counselling sessions will instead have to meet “competency-based accreditation standards” set by the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council.

Those standards “will be developed and specified over time”, the paper says. The council is believed to be considering establishing a course to provide people with specific qualifications to work in the centres.

Concerns have also been raised that the AU$200 million set aside for the centres is not enough to provide the specialist services required.

Couples wishing to attend additional sessions beyond the first three hours’ worth will have to pay.

Read the full article: Doubts raised on family counselling (Sydney Morning Herald)