[ Browse by Service Category : Legal Services : Sub-Topics of Family Law (7) ]

Child Advocacy Centres

Programs that operate centres which facilitate a multidisciplinary approach to the investigation and treatment of child abuse cases. Services generally include videotaped interviews of child abuse victims in safe, child-friendly surroundings to avoid multiple interviews, reduce the trauma of disclosure and preserve statements for court purposes; crisis intervention and emotional support for victims and non-offending family members; forensic medical examinations; psychotherapy services including play therapy, family therapy and individual counselling for parents; support groups; case management; and interdisciplinary review of cases by teams of professionals including law enforcement, children's protective services, prosecution, medical, mental health, victim assistance, and child advocacy personnel.

[ View Programs and Services (1) | Related Topics ]

Divorce Assistance

Programs that provide assistance for people who are initiating or responding to a suit for an annulment of their marriage, which establishes that a marital status never existed; a legal separation, which suspends the marriage so far as concerns the cohabitation of the two parties; or a divorce, which totally dissolves the marriage relationship. These programs may also discuss and represent the individual's interests regarding distribution of property assets and parenting issues regarding any children.

[ View Programs and Services (1) | Related Topics ]

Domestic/Family Violence Legal Services

Programs that provide information and guidance and/or representation in court proceedings for individuals who have been abused in an intimate relationship and/or for people who are facing a misdemeanour or criminal charge for perpetrating abuse. Included are domestic violence law clinics and other legal assistance programs that represent victims of domestic abuse at restraining order hearings or in other civil or criminal actions involving charges against an abuser. Most also represent the person's interests in complexities that arise as part of the legal process such as restitution, payment of debts or child support, custody and visitation and property control. Some programs may also represent victims of domestic abuse who have been charged with a crime and/or handle cases involving accusations of child abuse filed by one parent against the other, abuse of an elderly person by an adult child or abuse of an adult child by a parent.

[ View Programs and Services (5) | Related Topics ]

The above terms and definitions are part of the Taxonomy of Human Services, used here by permission of INFO LINE of Los Angeles.


Any omissions are unintentional and HIP disclaims any liability for unauthorized use or reproduction of any portion of this site. For a complete copyright and license statement please refer to our Terms of Use.