Identifying and responding to family violence and child safety concerns: Findings from the AIFS evaluation of the 2012 family violence amendments

The Family Law Legislation Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Act 2011(Cth) introduced amendments to the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) that were primarily intended to improve the family law system's screening of, and response to, family violence and child abuse. The reform agenda responded to the concerns raised about the capacity of the family law system to respond effectively in cases involving family violence and child abuse. These concerns had been raised in a number of reports examining the operation of the family law system (including Australian and New South Wales Law Reform Commissions, 2010; Chisholm, 2009; Family Law Council, 2009; Kaspiew et al., 2009).