In addition to the legal advice and assistance provided through our mainstream services, we also do the following:

Family Law, Domestic and Family Violence, Protection and Care

WLSWA provides legal assistance in the areas of family violence, family law and protection and care. We can provide women with information about Family Law, or an initial appointment which provides an opportunity to understand the relevant legal processes, her entitlements, and her options to take the next step in her matter.

This includes a combination legal information/advice, tasks, and ongoing casework and representation. The preferred approach is end-to-end, where assistance is provider by one practitioner until the matter is resolved.  WLSWA also provides specialist support to clients with Criminal Injuries Compensation (CIC) claims that have resulted from Family Domestic Violence (FDV) or sexual assault, assisting them to obtain their entitlements.

Community Legal Education

We provide community legal education to better educate the community and the community services sector about the most common legal issues affecting women.

Law and Policy Reform

An important part of our role is working towards a systemic improvement in access to justice for women in WA. We ensure women’s voices are heard by engaging in Government reviews, making policy and law reform submissions, and in working in collaboration with like-minded networks and organisations.

Financial Counselling Service

Our financial counselling service helps women who have experienced family violence to improve their financial wellbeing and supports them to recover from their specific financial problems.

Client Support Worker

The Client Support Worker (CSW) role at WLSWA provides a wrap-around service to clients, by offering practical and emotional support throughout the legal process and connecting them with relevant services.

The CSW operates in a trauma-informed way to navigate issues that arise in conjunction with the legal team. This may include:

• Attending court as a support person;
• Providing debrief opportunities and emotional support;
• Attending client/lawyer meetings, and providing input where suitable;
• Providing a referral pathway to other services;
• Safety planning; and/or
• Consulting with lawyers regarding client needs and providing relevant information and resources.

Resources

We have developed a number of resources that provide information on legal issues so people can better understand the processes and options available to them.