New multidisciplinary taster placement
The CIJ's first multidisciplinary taster placement took place at the Child Witness Service, the Intermediaries Pilot Program and the Office of Public Prosecutions.
RMIT law & social work students Danielle Watts, Eliza Hew, Louise Grant & August Parkinson with the OPP's court support dog Lucy.
In August the CIJ held its first multidisciplinary taster placement for law and social work students. The theme was ‘innovations in support for victims’ and the students were hosted by the Child Witness Service, the Intermediaries Pilot Program and the Office of Public Prosecutions.
Students toured the purpose-built Child Witness Service and learned about their important work supporting children and young people who are witnesses in court proceedings across the state. The students also heard about the trailblazing work being done by the Intermediaries Pilot Program providing access to justice for vulnerable witnesses and improving fair trial outcomes.
At the Office of Public Prosecutions, the students had a discussion with social workers and lawyers regarding their multidisciplinary practice, which better supports witnesses and victims in prosecutions of serious crime. Lucy – the court support dog – stole the show and students heard her amazing story of being trained by a woman serving a custodial sentence, to supporting sexual offence complainants during the often-traumatic process of cross-examination.
Feedback from students was resoundingly positive as you can see from the reflections below: