3 in 4 family justice professionals say work-related pressures on the rise in lockdown

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  • A thousand practitioners respond to Resolution wellbeing survey so far
  • Initial findings show work-related pressures increased since first lockdown
  • Survey open until Sunday – with full results to be published in New Year

Nearly 75% of family justice practitioners have reported work-related pressures increasing since the first national lockdown, as England enters the second week of new restrictions.

The early findings come after nearly a thousand professionals responded to a major wellbeing survey run by Resolution, the national family justice membership body. The huge response rate means it is one of the most widespread pieces of research into wellbeing in family justice, with a full report on its findings due to be published early in 2021.

Resolution’s Chair, Juliet Harvey, said the initial response should serve as a wake-up call to everyone working in the profession:

“For some practitioners, new ways of working have bought improvements in terms of work-life balance, having more family time available and reduced commutes. But our survey shows that far more have seen work-related pressures increase since the first lockdown started.

“These initial findings show that all of us – employers and employees alike – need to take steps to look after each other and spread the word about resources that can help. News this week of a potential vaccine gives us hope, but the profession, and the country, still faces a long challenging winter.

“I would urge everyone working in family justice to use the wellbeing resources Resolution have made available, respond to the survey if they haven’t already, and take up their free place on the forthcoming wellbeing seminar we’re running in conjunction with LawCare, the legal mental health charity.”

The survey remains open until this Sunday, and anyone who has not yet completed is encouraged to do so in order to qualify for a place on the free webinar, details of which will be sent to all respondents once the survey has closed.