We deliver child-inclusive services through the Kids Talk program, as part of the Victoria Legal Aid Family Dispute Resolution Service (FDRS).
The practioners who meet with children, and work with parents and carers through Kids Talk, are referred to as child specialists.
All child specialists at FDRS are:
- experienced social science practitioners
- trained to deliver child-inclusive services within the family dispute resolution process, under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth)
- appointed to the FDRS Child Specialist panel.
What child specialists do
Their role is to help parents and carers understand their children's perspective. It is also to make sure children's experiences are included in any Family Dispute and Resolution Service conference (meeting).
They will prepare a confidential Kids Talk summary report, to be used in the conference for the court, which includes information about issues to be considered. They do not usually attend the conference.
What happens when a child specialist is involved
If a case is referred through our service, and included in the Kids Talk program, the child specialist will first meet with the children, and then with the parents or carers.
When they meet with the parents or carers they will:
- share information about the children’s experience of the current arrangements, as well as any relevant child development information
- support them to take a child-focused perspective. This includes providing a confidential written Kids Talk summary,
with a Kids Talk agenda.
Find out more about the Kids Talk program.(opens in a new window)
Who are our child specialists
The professional backgrounds of our child specialists include social science and other tertiary fields, including law.
Some child consultants are also accredited family dispute resolution practitioners under Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), and may also be on the FDRS Chairperson panel.
Meet our child specialists
Manager Johanna Wood, Kids Talk
Johanna is the Managing Child Specialist for the Kids Talk program. She has been with FDRS since 2004.
She is a social worker, child specialist, and registered family dispute resolution practitioner. She has worked in a variety of roles at the FDRS.
Throughout the almost 20-year history of the service, Johanna has been involved in the development of FDRS policy and processes. These have focused on and promoted the needs and experiences of children and their families.
Ash Cole
Ash is an educator, social worker and child specialist. She has worked as a disability inclusion and student wellbeing in an educational setting, and as a social worker in a tertiary hospital, supporting young parents.
Ash has 15 years of experience working with children, and their families, in health and education. She has training in family therapy and in trauma-informed care.
She has been a member of the FDRS Child Specialist panel since 2022, and was previously a case manager at FDRS.
Charlotte Harvey
Charlotte is an accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW) and family therapist. She has completed training in ‘Working with Children’, and ‘Working with Parents’ through the International Centre for Children and Family Law.
She is also a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), and Australian Association of Family Therapists (AAFT)
Since 2001, she has worked in a variety of statutory and non-statutory roles across state government, community services and in private practice. She has held roles conducting assessment, case management, counselling, family therapy and child consultancy, predominately working with children, young people and their families.
Charlotte has been a member of the FDRS Child Specialist panel since 2022.
Kathryn Gilligan
Kathryn is a social worker, with an extensive background in child protection both in Victoria and the United Kingdom. She is trained in child-inclusive practice, child welfare and development, and working with separated families.
Kathryn has worked widely with children and adolescents of all ages and with families from diverse backgrounds.
Kathryn joined the FDRS Child Specialist panel in 2022 and is a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
Michelle Myer
Michelle is a social worker, mediator and restorative engagement practitioner.
She has extensive experience working with children in hospital-based child protection services, and over 30 years of work as a family report writer in the family law system.
She is an experienced restorative engagement facilitator for survivors of institutional abuse and was a dispute resolution convenor at the Melbourne Children's Court of Victoria for 13 years.
Her passion for children's rights is also realised through her many years of experience in her role as a child specialist, having been a member of the FDRS Child Specialists panel since 2016.
Bill Skoufis
Bill is a social worker, family consultant, child specialist and family dispute resolution practitioner. He also has a private practice where he conducts meditation and counselling for families and children.
Bill has worked in child protection and adoption services. He also formerly provided counselling, mediation and family reports for the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, for over 30 years.
Bill joined the FDRS Child Specialist panel in 2016.
Natasha Belmont
Natasha is a psychologist, family dispute resolution practitioner, group facilitator and former lawyer. She has qualifications in law, psychology and training.
She works with parents, families and children in the family services, and dispute resolution sector as a practitioner. She remains involved with training and supervising new and experienced professionals in the field.
Natasha has been appointment to with the Victorian Restorative Engagement and Redress Scheme and is an expert panel member for the Department of Education’s Student Safety and Wellbeing panel.
Natasha became a member of the FDRS Chairperson and Child Specialist panels in 2022.
Paul Ban
Paul is a social worker and family consultant. He has also worked as a sessional mediator, trainer, and consultant, and provided family reports to the Federal Circuit and Family Courts of Australia.
He has been an expert witness and panel member for various agencies. This has included consultancy work with First Peoples communities groups, and training nationally and internationally on family group conferencing.
He has a background in child protection and child welfare, and was formerly a dispute resolution convenor at the Children’s Court of Victoria.
Paul has been a member of the FDRS Chairperson panel since 2003, and the Child Specialist panel since 2007.
Walter Ibbs
Walter is a social worker, nationally accredited mediator and former family consultant at the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
He has worked as a practitioner, trainer, and manager in dispute resolution for decades. He was one of the founding team members of the Family Dispute Resolution Service in 2003, and has since held roles as clinical services coordinator, manager and supervising consultant, regularly supervising mediators.
Walter has been a member of the FDRS Chairperson panel since 2003 and the Child Specialist panel since 2007.
Rosa Silvestro
Rosa is a collaborative law professional practitioner. She has formerly worked as a family counsellor and consultant for the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, including as a child dispute services manager and dispute resolution coordinator. She is also a trainer of family consultants and independent children’s lawyers
She has also worked in private practice, where she has continued to provide family reports for the courts.
Rosa has been a member of the FDRS Chairperson and Child Specialist panels since 2012.
Tony O’Dwyer
Tony is a family consultant. He provides reports to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, and works in private practice, providing counselling and family therapy.
He has worked in child protection as a dispute resolution convenor at the Children’s Court of Victoria, and as a family group conference convenor.
He has also worked in corrections, providing individual counselling to prisoners, particularly around drug-related offending behaviour.
Tony has been a member of the FDRS Chairperson panel since 2003, and the Child Specialist panel since 2007.
More information
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