Lighthouse

Updated 13 July 2026

What is Lighthouse?

Lighthouse is used by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia to screen matters and parties for risk relating to family violence, mental health, drug and alcohol misuse and child abuse and neglect and to manage that risk via the allocation of Court resources upon triage.

The Lighthouse Project was first piloted by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia in December 2020, initially in the Adelaide, Brisbane and Parramatta family law registries.

After success, Lighthouse was expanded in November 2022 to the Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Dandenong, Darwin, Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Rockhampton, Sydney, Townsville and Wollongong registries.

Lighthouse involves screening for risk, triage of matters where risk is identified, and, if applicable, placement of a parenting matter in a specialised Court list known as the Evatt List. This is to ensure that families who are the most vulnerable are provided with appropriate resources and support.

The primary focus of Lighthouse is to improve outcomes for families involved in the family law system.

How does Lighthouse work?

Parties may be asked to complete a risk screen, called the Family DOORS Triage. Risk screening is a process to identify the likelihood of harm or exposure to harm in family law proceedings by either a party or a child.

The risk screen will include questions relevant to risk concerns. Parties are encouraged to complete the risk screening process as soon as possible after filing their court documents.

This needs to be completed in order to receive the benefits of appropriate case management, safety planning and service referrals. A party that has completed a Family DOORS Triage questionnaire cannot be compelled to disclose risk-screening information. These provisions ensure that parties are able to freely and confidently participate in the family safety risk screening process, without fear that the information they provide may be used against them in other contexts.

Any information that is disclosed in connection with the DOORS triage risk screening process cannot be used as evidence in your matter, under Part IIA of the Family Law Act 1975.

If the Family DOORS Triage is completed and has returned a high-risk assessment, the Family DOORS Triage will undergo a clinical review by a Triage Counsellor. Matters with a high level of risk will be referred for consideration to be placed in the Evatt List.

What is the Evatt List?

The Evatt List is a specialist court list developed and designed to assist those families that have been identified as being at high risk. Families who are high risk are provided with resources and support to support their safety and well-being.

“The Evatt List is an initiative of the Courts where a highly qualified team of Senior Judicial Registrars, Evatt Judicial Registrars, Court Child Experts and court staff, in consultation with Judges, are allocated to help progress a matter that is identified as being high risk. There are various court events that take place for these matters, with a view to finalising matters in a safe and timely manner.” (Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia website Guide for parties in the Evatt List | Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia).

Further information about Lighthouse and the Evatt List can be accessed here: Lighthouse overview | Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia

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