The Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department has commissioned this research to support a review of the Family Relationship Services Program (FRSP). The FRSP aims to improve the wellbeing of Australian families, particularly families with children, who are at risk of separating or have separated. In addition, the FRSP has responsibilities in providing networks to support the development of cross-sector professional relationships for the purpose of training and networking (known as Family Law Pathways Networks).

As part of the 2006 family law reforms, the Australian Government expanded the FRSP significantly, in an effort to strengthen cost-effective, non-court-based services for separating families. There have been significant developments in the family law system since the introduction of the FRSP. These developments include improved awareness of the dynamics of family breakdown, the increased awareness of risk factors present for families, the increasing complexity of cases engaged in family law litigation, as well as successive legislative reform

This report first details the background and aims of the review and the methodology for each component of the research. It then sets out findings from each component of the research after a summary chapter synthesising the key findings from each of these research components. The findings cover: 

• Needs of separating and separated families
• Provision of FRSP activities
• Use of FRSP activities by separating and separated families
• Extent to which FRSP activities are effective in meetings families’ needs
• Extent to which FRSP activities are delivered efficiently
• Potential changes to the FRSP to support effective and efficient service delivery that meets families’ needs
• Non-FRSP services supporting separating and separated families to resolve their post-separation arrangements outside of court
• Interface between FRSP activities and non-FRSP services for separating and separated families.