Lockdown takes its toll on family lawyers
A quarter of family justice professionals are on the verge of quitting the profession due to the toll of lockdown on their mental health, according to a report by Resolution.
The report into wellbeing, published by the family law group and supported by CILEX, showed that more than half of the 1,200 practitioners surveyed had considered leaving the profession at some point in the last three years because of concerns about their wellbeing.
Family practitioners have been working hard to cut backlogs in the family court by sitting more days than ever before during the pandemic. Resolution found that 57% of practitioners work more than eight extra hours during the week and almost all needed to work during their holidays.
With 64% of practitioners reportedly feeling fatigued during the working day, the findings raise significant questions as to whether this additional workload is sustainable or desirable.
Juliet Harvey, national chair of Resolution, said: “It’s clear lockdown has taken its toll on the collective wellbeing of family justice professionals and if the profession is to recover, we need to ensure practitioner wellbeing is a top priority.
“The fact that a quarter of family professionals are actively considering leaving the sector should be of concern to everyone. If firms fail to embrace flexible working and better wellbeing support, I fear we could lose the next generation of family practitioners.”
The report, which Resolution said was “an important first step in acknowledging and addressing this issue” was also supported by LawCare, the Family Law Bar Association, the Association of Lawyers for Children and the Legal Aid Practitioners Group.
Although awareness of wellbeing has grown in recent years, the survey found that 43% of practitioners still felt uncomfortable talking to their employers or workplaces about work-related stress and pressures.
CILEX members looking for information and support in relation to mental health and wellbeing issues have access to LawCare, a free and confidential advisory service.