Language Matters – It’s Time for Radical Change

For years the language of divorce and separation has, for many, heightened conflict between couples, causing difficulties for on-going parenting relationships.

The language of family law has evolved because of our adversarial family court system. It is the language of justice – but not of wellbeing and support.

You will often hear “battle” terminology – the fight, the win, the success – but rarely the language of safety and wellbeing, a language that promotes positive futures for separating couples and parental relationships.

As family lawyers we can become desensitized to this language of justice. We lose sight of the impact that our use of this language can have on our clients and their families, and on us as family lawyers too!

The Language Matters campaign seeks to reframe the language of family law by promoting 5 key principles for the language of the family law world:

• Plain English
• Personal language
• Proportionate language
• Problem solving language
• Positive futures

Over the coming days and weeks, the Family Solutions Group Language Committee will be hosting various events to shine a light on the importance of the Language Matters campaign.

On Tuesday 14 February we are hosting an online event where you will have the chance to hear about this important campaign and engage in this important debate.

• Join the Language Matters discussion and register here for the online event.
• The full Language Matters report is available here.
• Take part in our short language survey.