Legal Aid NSW to host Child Representation Conference in Newcastle

21/02/2014

Do you represent children in the family or care and protection jurisdiction? Would you benefit from some skill based training to enhance your work with children and young people? Legal Aid NSW will be conducting a Child Representation Conference at Noah's on the Beach, Newcastle on Friday, 14 March (Dinner Only) and Saturday 15 March 2014. Attendance is encouraged for all child representatives, panel practitioners, barristers, FDRPs and other experts in the field, all who will be able to acquire CPD/MCLE points.

Keynote addresses

• Dr Rae Kaspiew, Australian Institute of Family Studies and Kylie Beckhouse, executive director of Family Law on what is expected of children's representatives.
• The Honourable Justice Margaret Cleary, Pam Hemphill principal of child dispute services, Family Court of Australia and senior counsel, on best practice when representing children and young people and why it matters.
• His Honour Judge Peter Johnstone, president of the Children's Court, Specialist Children's Court Magistrate Peter Feather and counsel, on the challenges of the role of the direct legal representative in care and protection proceedings and how to manage the challenges in practice.

Breakout sessions

A special feature of the conference will be an emphasis on practical workshop style breakout sessions, with topics as diverse as advocacy for child representatives, interviewing children and cross examination of experts, clinicians and report writers. Speakers and presenters include judicial officers, academics, members of the NSW legal profession and well respected family and child psychologists and psychiatrists.

Conference dinner

A conference dinner, with guest speaker and the great debate "Is CROC a Crock!" will be held on Friday, 14 March.

Cost

• Cost of Conference and dinner (Friday & Saturday, 14 & 15 March) $300.00
• Attendance at Conference only (Saturday, 15 March) $200.00
• Cost of additional guest at dinner (Friday, 14 March) $110.00

Accommodation

Accommodation can be booked directly with Noah's on the Beach or by calling ph: (02) 4929 5181

Register

To register, visit the Legal Aid NSW web site

---