“our client is the child” – Olia Pelayo from Children in Focus on the supervision process and keeping children in the centre of it at the Pacifica Congress Conference series.

“our client is the child” – Olia Pelayo from Children in Focus on the supervision process and keeping children in the centre of it at the Pacifica Congress Conference series.

Olia Pelayo (https://www.childreninfocus.com.au)

At the Pacifica Congress Conference live in Hobart 2023 www.pacificacongress.org

 

The Inside Family Law Podcast is hosted by Zoe Durand at Mediation Answers www.mediationanswers.com.au in partnership with Lawyer Magic and ArtWork.

 

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• Process, applications, forms etc and timeline (usually about 1 week from applying to be able to supervise).
• Locations that Children in Focus can attend
• How the role is explained to children. “Meet and greet” with children.
• Concerns of clients about supervision and Olia’s responses.
• Children in Focus work with the family as to what the children have been told about their role. Sometimes the children are fearful to see their parent and the children are fine to refer to them as the supervisor. In the meet and greet they explain the process, what will happen and if any safety words etc needed.
• “keeping the children safe basically” is the role of the supervisor.
• When the supervisor will intervene. I.e. immediate if child is hit etc. If there is a negative comment made, then supervisor may intervene and ask the parent to stop this behaviour. If behaviour continues then they may have to terminate visit.
• What is included in reports. Objective observation, things said to children, interactions, communication.
• Pure observation. No recommendations, opinions etc.
• Pathway families move through when using supervision. Supervision can be longer term. Sometimes it can be very brief for some reassurance and to build trust.
• Reports can mirror back to parents what their actions are.
• How reports can provide feedback and be a mirror for parents.
• Locations and also the cost of supervision.
• Qualifications of supervisors and training they receive.
• Issue when parents are paying for supervision and they then perceive themselves as the client who is paying for the service.
• Zoe: “In a way it is parents paying for the service… the payer has the power… so how does that work in protecting and empowering children when they are not the payer?”
• “Sometimes clients say “Well I paid for you, you better put this in the report the way I want it”… and “We say excuse me no, our client is the child. And we are here to make sure we do everything in the best interests of the child….We don’t take stuff like that from clients.”
• Important things to remember to include in Orders when supervisors are appointed. Ie be careful about being too specific on times before you have the supervisor appointed, ie what if the supervisor cannot attend at this time. Leave flexibility for the times the supervisor can attend. “At a time chosen by the supervisor” or a wording that allows the supervisor to nominate the time.