This service is a not-for-profit organisation, that assists Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live free from family violence and sexual assault. We offer free legal services, community education and early intervention and prevention programs.
Aboriginal Family Legal Services strive to Close the Gap in Aboriginal peoples’ access to justice and empower our people to implement strategies for safer communities.
Areas Aboriginal Family Legal Service can help:
Family Law
This service can assist people with their family law matters when there are children involved. This service will represent clients in the Family Court WA, however much of our work involves helping clients to work out parenting agreements. Here are some things we can help with:
- Assistance in child matters
- Negotiating parenting arrangements
- Family Court applications
- Recovery Orders
- Parenting arrangements
- Contested & Consent Orders
- Advice for grandparents and other family rights
This service can also assist to get children back into your care when another person has taken them away without permission (a ‘recovery order’) or to assist when another person is disobeying a court order. It is very important that you see a lawyer as soon as these types of things happen. If you leave it, it may look to the Court that you agreed to what is happening.
Criminal Injuries Compensation
If you think you may be eligible for Criminal Injury Compensation you can contact this service for initial advice. If you appear to meet the criteria of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, this service can assist you to prepare your application.
In some cases a person can ask for compensation even if they were not the direct victim of the offence. For example, a mother who suffers a mental illness because her daughter was murdered might be able to get compensation. We can assist by:
- Providing eligibility advice
- Helping with applications
- Helping to obtain documents such as medical reports.
Family Violence Restraining Orders
This service can assist you to prepare an application for a FVRO and will apply to the Court for an interim FVRO. If the other party opposes the making of a final FVRO, this service will assist you at a hearing. To successfully obtain a FVRO the court needs to be shown that the person has committed an act of abuse against you or they make you fear that they will commit an act of abuse against you and the court thinks it’s appropriate in those circumstances to make the restraining order.
Non-Legal Support
This service can assist in case management, attending police meetings with clients, helping with safety planning and Strong Families meetings.
Community education through the delivery of targeted Community Legal Education (CLE) to children, women and men as a way of preventing violence in our homes and communities.
Crisis intervention through refuge and counselling referrals, and applying for interim Family Violence Restraining Orders.
Other client referrals to required services including medical, counselling, accommodation, legal and financial.
Community engagement to other services in your area and in events highlighting Aboriginal family values.
Social Support
Aboriginal people experiencing family violence are often traumatised and face a range of challenges in addition to the demands of their legal case. This service’s social workers provide culturally-safe and trauma-informed approaches to support work. They help clients through the demands of their legal processes and also assist in developing strategies for social and emotional wellbeing.
The support workers are based in Perth, Broome, Kalgoorlie, Carnarvon and Geraldton, working with families and communities to promote healthy, violence-free relationships.
Redress
This service can provide information about how the National Redress Scheme works and making an application to survivors of institutionalised sexual abuse located in the East Kimberley, West Kimberley or Belmont areas.
Our Locations
Broome (West Kimberley)
Unit 1/46 Dampier Terrace,
Broome WA 6725
PO Box 2037, Broome WA 6725
Phone: (08) 9193 5455
Mobile: 0448 888 595
With Outreach to: Broome LGA (including Ardyaloon, Beagle Bay, Bidyadanga and Djarindjin/Lombadina), Derby, Looma, Mowanjum and Yurmulun.
Kununurra (East Kimberley)
Suite 1/10 Banksia Street,
Kununurra WA 6743
PO Box 1749, Kununurra WA 6743
Phone: (08) 9168 2001
Mobile: 0447 501 205
With Outreach to: Halls Creek, Kalumburu, Kununurra, Wyndham, Warmun.
Carnarvon (Gascoyne)
Lotteries House, 1 Camel Lane
Carnarvon WA 6701
PO Box 729, Carnarvon WA 6701
Phone: (08) 9941 3633
Mobile: 0429 529 046
With Outreach to: Burringurrah, Carnarvon LGA, Exmouth, Shark Bay, Onslow.
Geraldton (Mid-West)
18 Chapman Road
Geraldton WA 6530
PO Box 2731, Geraldton WA 6520
Phone: (08) 9965 4654
Mobile: 0417 965 206
With Outreach to: Cue, Geraldton LGA (including Mullewa), Meekatharra, Mount Magnet, Wiluna, Yalgoo.
Perth
113 Orrong Road
Rivervale WA 6103
Phone: (08) 9355 1502
Kalgoorlie (Goldfields)
2/45 Brookman Street,
Kalgoorlie WA 6430
PO Box 10411, Kalgoorlie WA 6433
Phone: (08) 9021 0244
Mobile: 0417 926 267
With Outreach to: Kalgoorlie LGA, Coolgardie, Esperance, Laverton, Leonora, Menzies, Norseman.
Port Hedland (West Pilbara)
2/3 Hunt Street,
South Hedland WA 6722
PO Box 2807, South Hedland WA 6722
Phone: (08) 9172 5024
Mobile: 0409 887 854
With Outreach to: Port Hedland LGA, Shire of East Pilbara (including Warralong and Yandeyarra), Shire of Roebourne (including Karratha), Newman.
