Rebalancing the Scales: Access to justice for parents in the Tasmanian Child Safety system

This report documents the experiences of Tasmanian parents and the lawyers who represent them in the Court and legal processes associated with the Child Safety system. The research examines parents’ ability to access legal advice, their participation in decision-making processes and to what extent these processes implement the intent of the legislation – promoting family preservation and reunification. Drawing from a review of reforms in Child Safety and Justice systems around the world, the report makes a series of recommendations about how to improve the experiences of Tasmanian parents and their ability to preserve their families and be reunited with their children.