Back to school: Building skills to support survivors in urgent family court situations
When a woman and her children are facing an immediate safety concern, the family court system can feel overwhelming. In an urgent situation, having timely access to the right information and legal tools can make a critical difference.
An emergency motion can be an important step toward addressing an urgent crisis and supporting the safety and well-being of women and children subjected to intimate partner violence (IPV).
An emergency motion allows a woman to ask the court for a temporary order when there are serious concerns about her or her children’s immediate safety or well-being.
Supporting women through an urgent court process
Women may turn to the family court during a crisis. They may be dealing with immediate safety concerns while also trying to understand court procedures, complete forms, gather information, and decide what to ask the court to do.
The process can feel like a lot to navigate, particularly when time is limited.
Service providers can play an important role in helping women understand their options and navigate the process.
That is why having practical, accessible information matters.
From the Emergency Motions Toolkit to online learning
Luke’s Place developed the Emergency Motions Toolkit to provide advocates with clear, practical guidance for supporting women who may need to bring an emergency motion.
The toolkit includes resources such as:
- Emergency contacts and safety planning tips;
- Step-by-step guidance on applying for an emergency motion;
- Commentary on key court forms;
- A family history questionnaire; and
- Instructions for women who are filing motions without a lawyer.
The toolkit also provides guidance on when an emergency motion may be appropriate, the forms and information required, the steps involved in the process, and how service providers can prepare women for what to expect.
A new way to learn
Building on the Emergency Motions Toolkit, Luke’s Place has developed the Emergency Motions Course for Ontario service providers who support survivors of intimate partner violence.
The course takes the practical information in the toolkit and turns it into an interactive online learning experience.
Participants work through realistic crisis scenarios, guiding checklists, and interactive activities designed to help them apply what they are learning.
By completing the course, participants will learn about:
- What emergency motions are and when they may be used;
- The legal procedures and court forms involved;
- The role of a service provider during the application process;
- An overview of the court process; and
- What happens after a judge makes a decision?
Designed for Ontario service providers
The Emergency Motions Course is designed for Ontario service providers who support survivors of intimate partner violence.
The course assumes participants already have a general understanding of family law and family court processes. If you are new to this area, Luke’s Place recommends our After She Leaves online course as a prerequisite.
The Emergency Motions Course is self-directed and asynchronous, with six modules and approximately three hours of learning.
Participants have access to:
- Captioned videos;
- Short quizzes;
- Downloadable resources;
- Transcripts for all narration; and
- The Emergency Motions Toolkit.
Participants who complete the course receive a certificate of completion.
Start your Fall learning with Luke’s Place
Back-to-school season is a natural time to refresh our knowledge and build skills that can support our work throughout the year.
For service providers supporting survivors of IPV, understanding emergency motions can be an important part of being prepared when an urgent family court situation arises.
Register for the Emergency Motions Course and build your skills to better support survivors navigating urgent family court situations.
Course Details
Format: Self-directed and asynchronous
Length: Approximately three hours
Modules: Six
Fee: $90
Certificate: Certificate of completion provided
Free access is available to Luke’s Place Family Court Support Worker (FCSW) partners and women’s organizations working with survivors of intimate partner violence.
If you would like to find out whether your organization is part of this network, contact training@lukesplace.ca using your workplace email address.
Learn more about the Emergency Motions Course and Emergency Motions Toolkit and register today.