Our Committees in 2023

Collaborative Practice Committee

Collaborative Practice Foundation Training courses took place face to face in March 2023 and in February 2024 (rescheduled from October 2023 owing to train strikes). This has increased the number of collaboratively trained professionals and there is now an additional requirement that delegates for foundation undertake training in Domestic Abuse and Safeguarding, if they have not done so two years before the course to reflect the critical importance Resolution believes needs to be given to this subject.

The committee also hosted online Collaborative Practice Forums online in March and September.  These covered a variety of topical issues including safeguarding, family law supervision and the importance for practitioners of prioritising their own wellbeing and interdisciplinary working with financial neutrals and family consultants.

The Committee welcomed new members from a wide geographical area, and this will assist the committee to focus on one of its key aims – to make collaborative training as widely available regionally over the coming years when it is possible to arrange face to face training.

Dispute Resolution

In 2023, the Committee focused on a number of projects which included ensuring that dispute resolution practitioners had the best possible understanding of domestic abuse and in particular coercive controlling behaviour. The Resolution Family Practice Conference in October focused heavily on this and also the ways in which dispute resolution processes could be adapted safely in particular cases of historical abuse.

Working with other committees, the Dispute Resolution Committee has developed mediation and collaborative training and various guides to members on the use and application of dispute resolution.

While working with the international committee, the DR Committee produced a guide and database for international mediation.

Domestic Abuse

The Domestic Abuse (DA) Committee had an eventful 2023. They updated training online and also recorded an informative session with regards to the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and procedural updates.

The Committee has set up a subcommittee called the Economic Working Group. The aim of this group is to prepare a good practice guide for Resolution on economic abuse, consider approaching the FLBA for support and to look for a mandate from Resolution’s membership re the importance of the issue of economic abuse during marriages, upon separation, within proceedings.

Rights of Women (RoW), the DA Committee and Firebird are in the midst of a project focused on implementing best practice in relation to domestic abuse in Family Court and are working with stakeholders in Surrey to see what is possible.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

In 2023 the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Committee published Resolution’s EDI Policy and focused on embedding EDI awareness within other committees in terms of volunteer recruitment, guidance, and publications.  The Committee also hosted members who were at National Conference for the first time.

The free of charge webinar about imposter syndrome welcomed expert speakers and members throughout Resolution’s broadchurch.

Next year, the Committee will be hosting a conversation for members about how they balance their faith and work. They will also be providing information about working with clients and colleagues who have disabilities and will be conducting a survey to capture demographic data about all Resolution members to assess how diverse the membership is and what steps should be taken to further widen our welcome to family practitioners.

Legal Aid

The Legal Aid Committee supported members with the recent LAA tender round for the new civil legal aid contract. They continued to press for the changes on Resolution’s legal aid “shopping list”, including wider acceptance of evidence of domestic abuse. The Committee was pleased to see legal aid being made more easily available for those involved in adoption and placement and special guardianship applications.

A detailed response for the Review of Civil Legal Aid was produced, pressing in particular for increased remuneration to ensure the sustainability of the provider base so that access to justice for vulnerable people is secure for the future

The Committee will continue to press the LAA/MOJ to make the changes we seek on our legal aid “shopping list” – ensuring there is more access to legal aid, and processes for providers are simplified. They will also be working with the MOJ on early advice and participate in relevant consultations.

Litigants in Person

It was a busy year for the Litigants in Person (LIPS) Committee. They created new guidance for LIPS including preparing bundles, preparing witness statements and a glossary of terms. The Committee also met with the Parenting After Parting Committee, with a view to starting to collaborate and share ideas.

A lot of improvements were made to the pages for LIPS on the website, including improving the navigation and landing pages.

In 2024, the Committee will be reviewing the Resolution GPG for LIPs and will be writing an article for The Review to highlight the available resources for members working with LIPs.

Parenting After Parting

In 2023 the Parenting After Parting Committee have rewritten the Guide for Separated Parents, with more helpful guidance, tips and support. In 2024 the Committee plans to produce a number of video blogs and podcasts to support the new guide’s launch this year and aims to translate the Guide into Welsh and promoting this in the Region.

Publications

The Publications Committee made considerable progress with the Maintenance Handbook, devising the structure of the book and most of the chapters were written last year.

Despite being a small committee, it has come up with lots of ideas for further publications including the DR Handbook, publication on forced marriage/Sharia law, a Capacity Handbook and GPGs.  Two members are also working on the A-Z of vulnerable clients.

The Committee has actively involved its IFA member, with Cheryl Bowden doing several articles on PSOs and the effect of pension protection (e.g., lifetime allowances) for The Review.

Training & Learning

2023 saw The Training and Learning Committee launch the Resolution learning pathway, including delivering and creating further modules to meet the needs of members. In 2024, the Committee will continue to develop the Resolution Learning Pathway.

This year, the Committee recruited six new committee members and appointed a new co-chair. The Committee has worked hard to support the creation of a high quality diverse and large pool of trainers, the trainer academy, the creation of the training calendar and strengthening links with partner organizations to deliver training such as the diversity trust.

In 2024, the Committee plans to continue to diversify training to ensure a large and diverse pool of trainers, it will also work closely with the Regional Liaison Committee to ensure that regional training and learning needs are including offering Resolution Together – Principles and Procedures in Manchester.

Working Together Group

In 2023, the Group mainly concentrated on running workshops for Resolution conferences to demonstrate how Resolution is working on becoming more inclusive and more reflective of the myriad ways family justice professionals can support clients.

At National Conference 2024, the Group will be running two sessions on the very important topic of trauma – both the trauma experienced by our clients and the vicarious trauma we, as practitioners, experience – and how best to manage it. The Group intends to further their work of attracting more non-lawyer members to Resolution and making the membership experience more valuable for those members.

The Group was pleased to hear the enthusiastic and excited response to its plans for the National Conference Workshop, confirming that there really is a will to broaden the appeal of Resolution to more non-lawyer members with all the huge benefits that can bring.