Engaging Children – Practical Tips for Children’s Lawyers (half day)

This specialised workshop is designed for Children’s Lawyers (e.g., ICLs ILRs DLRs) who play a critical role in representing children’s best interests in family and children’s court legal proceedings. In response to the varied and evolving expectations of child participation in legal processes, this training focusses on equipping you with practical tools alongside reflective guidance on how to engage with children of different ages in a way that is safe, developmentally informed, and maximises opportunities to gather meaningful information from your interactions with the children you are advocating for.

Workshop Focus Areas Include:

• How to build rapport and trust with children.
• Developmentally appropriate communication across different ages and stages.
• Responding to reluctance, distress, trauma, or complex family dynamics.
• Working alongside clinicians and experts: making use of professional reports and observations.
• Navigating disclosures, safety concerns, and signs of coaching or influence.
• Tips for meeting the needs of neurodiverse children (e.g., with diagnoses of ADHD or ADD).

This session provides psychological insights to support legal professionals in confidently and sensitively engaging with children, increasing the chances of their voices being heard.

Who Should Attend?

Legal practitioners working in child-inclusive legal proceedings and who are required to interact with children in their role, such as ICLs. ILRs, and DLRs.

To tailor the workshop to participants’ needs and professional backgrounds, a pre-training questionnaire will be distributed. Responses will help shape the focus and depth of content covered throughout the session. You will be encouraged to discuss your own practice and experiences within the workshop, as you feel comfortable.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Sydney Masonic Centre, 66 Goulburn Street, Sydney, Australia

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