Online Workshop: Attending Court and Writing Reports - 1/04/2025

Date: 1/04/2025

Time: 1.00pm - 4.00pm AEDT

An introduction for non-legal practitioners to the requirements and legal obligations of writing court reports, and attending court as a witness or support person, and their responsibilities to their clients.  

The workshop examines reports that are commonly requested by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court such as Parenting Reports, Child Assessments, Family Reports, and Intervention Order Assessment Reports. Consideration is given to the laws that govern these reports, including the Family Law Act 1975 and the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005. The impact of having an ongoing professional relationship with clients after the process of court preparation will also be explored. 

Learning outcomes 

At the end of this workshop, you'll be able to demonstrate knowledge of: 

• how the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and Melbourne Magistrates’ Court operate 

• the requirements of attending court as a witness who is subpoenaed 

• the requirements of attending court as a support person 

• the purpose, structure and use of a court report 

• how reports are used in courts, and the issues that may arise in the process of cross-examination 

• the impact of having an ongoing professional relationship with clients after the process of court preparation. 

• the importance of self-care and managing stress. 

Ideal for 

Non-legal practitioners, such as psychologists, counsellors and social workers. 

About the presenter 

Lilia Szarski is a clinical supervisor and experienced trainer at Relationships Australia Victoria, as well as a family dispute resolution (FDR) practitioner, and a qualified, registered psychologist. She has worked in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia on matters relating to separation, divorce and children’s living arrangements. Lili has extensive experience preparing family reports, providing FDR, counselling, and therapy, and undertaking parenting coordination of court orders, psychological assessments, and clinical supervision. She is a member of the Australian Psychological Society, the International Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, and the International Association of Applied Psychologists. 

Registration information 

• When you register, you'll be taken to our payment gateway to complete your registration. A new account will be automatically created for you in our Learning Management System (Moodle). 

• Registrations for scheduled workshops close 48 hours before the event. 

• Workshops must be paid for at least 2 business days before the training date, or your registration will be cancelled.  

• If paying by invoice, proof of payment needs to be provided at least 24 hours ahead of the event. 

Training Workshops Cancellation Statement [PDF, 1MB]  

Other information 

Please note that you'll need access to the following to participate in this workshop: 

• desktop or laptop computer 

• reliable internet connection 

• headphones recommended 

• microphone/speakers 

• webcam (built in or external to your computer) 

Contact us 

Centre for Learning and Innovation 
Phone: (03) 8573 2222 
Email: ravtraining@rav.org.au