Summarised by Centrist

Carrie Leonetti, Associate Professor from the Faculty of Law, University of Auckland, argues that the Family Court has become a major consumer of services provided by lawyers, psychologists, and therapists. This arrangement, while intended to assist families in conflict, has given rise to perverse financial incentives and conflicts of interest within the “troubled-teen industry.”

According to Leonetti, many private contractors hired by the Family Court have financial interests tied to their contractual relationships. These may include selling pricey “treatments” regardless of the best interests of the families they are meant to help. These contractors, paid by the hour, may prolong proceedings to increase their earnings and can harm children and families involved in these proceedings.

The private and confidential nature of Family Court proceedings makes it challenging to regulate these conflicts of interest effectively. Leonetti says the Government must take immediate action to address these issues and prohibit harmful and pseudoscientific therapies in NZ’s Family Court.

Read more over at Newsroom

^{Feature image: Michal Klajban}