The Forum brought together more than 190 delegates, including mediators, social workers, psychologists, counsellors and more, from all around the country to Darwin, Northern Territory.

This year’s theme was Rebuilding, Restoration and Renovation, acknowledging that family breakdown is not a finite concept. Reflecting this speakers covered wide ranging topics on enriching the practice of Child and Family Therapists, Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners, Family Law and Childhood Specialists.

Highlights included Professor Bruce Smyth and Professor Lawrie Moloney’s insightful Keynote presentation on post-separation decisions about children. Emeritus Professor Judy Atkinson’s passionate Keynote address focused on being trauma informed with the need for all services to work together to meet the needs of children with trauma backgrounds.

A live supervision session between Professor Jennifer McIntosh and Relationships Australia NT’s Barry Sullivan and Claire Cowen demonstrated ways in which a careful shared reflection on a complex matter can reveal what is often hidden in plain sight.

The Forum ended with a panel discussion looking at CIP through the lens of the ALRC Final Report with panellists The Hon John Faulks, Corina Martin, Professor Jennifer McIntosh AM, and Jaquie Palavra.

Last week, evaluation surveys were sent out to all who attended the Forum. We ask that you please spend 5 minutes in providing us some feedback, to enable us to reflect upon some of the highlights of this year’s Forum, and make the next Forum in two year’s time even better.

Whether or not you attended the conference, you’ll be able to access the PowerPoint presentations via the CIP Forum page, just download the PDF version of the program and click on the session you are interested in.

Thank you to the sector, our delegates, our partners, sponsors and the clinical committee exhibitors – thank you! Without your ongoing support the Forum would not be nearly as successful.