Court enforcement of child contact orders: evidence review

11. Preventative interventions

11.1 Some jurisdictions offer preventative interventions to reduce the number of child contact cases that reach or return to family court. Preventative measures can include educating parents about the court process and court orders so that they fully understand how child contact orders operate, their responsibilities and the consequence of breaching an order.^[52] These interventions may also include information on alternatives to using court interventions, and how to improve communication mechanisms between separated parents.^[53]

11.2 Post-order counselling is used in some jurisdictions. This involves separated parents being referred to a counsellor, who explains the application of the order, each parent's responsibility, the consequences of breach and highlights routes to access additional support and information.^[54] Evidence from Australia recommended that in cases where a high level of conflict over child contact was anticipated, the court could recommend or order post-order counselling in an attempt to pre-empt the conflict.^[55]