Call: 1800 957 957
When: 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday
What is the WLSQ Helpline?
The WLSQ Helpline is a phoneline for women to call and request free legal assistance.
Who can the WLSQ Helpline help?
Women in Queensland, or with legal matters in Queensland, seeking legal assistance in relation to domestic and family violence, family separation or divorce, parenting matters, child safety matters, and the protection of counselling notes in sexual assault cases.
How can the WLSQ Helpline help?
The WLSQ Helpline is staffed by specially trained intake officers, 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.
The intake officers will assess the caller’s legal issue and discuss their options with them. If appropriate, the intake officers will book the caller in for a free legal advice appointment over the phone with a lawyer. When a woman calls the WLSQ Helpline they will always speak to a woman.
If WLSQ can’t help, the Helpline intake officers will endeavour to refer them to another service or services.
How can services refer women to WLSQ?
Women can call the WLSQ Helpline on 1800 957 957, 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.
Services can refer women to WLSQ by completing the WLSQ referral form. WLSQ will contact the woman directly to organise a suitable time for an appointment. Please note, you must provide WLSQ with a safe way to contact the woman.
Please note: We are committed to having a safe workplace for all staff. Any form of abuse or aggressive behaviour will not be tolerated and may impact our service to you.
Call: 1800 457 117
When: 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday
What is the RRR Advice Line?
A dedicated phoneline for women in rural, regional or remote areas. Women can call 1800 457 117 from 9:00am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday and request free legal assistance.
Who can the RRR Advice Line help?
Women in rural, regional or remote areas of Queensland seeking legal assistance in relation to domestic and family violence, family separation or divorce, parenting matters, child safety matters, and the protection of counselling notes in sexual assault matters.
How can the RRR Advice Line help?
Callers to this line will not have to compete with metropolitan callers to the WLSQ Helpline and, where possible, will receive appointments between 9:00am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday.
How can services refer women to the RRR Advice Line?
Services cannot provide warm referrals to the RRR Advice Line.
Women in rural, regional and remote areas can call the RRR Advice Line on 1800 457 117, 9:00am to 4:30pm on Monday to Friday or call our Helpline on 1800 957 957, 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.
Call: 1800 457 117
Email: [email protected]
What is the RRR Outreach Program?
WLSQ has established a pilot program to support women experiencing domestic and family violence in rural, regional, and remote areas of Queensland. Our dedicated Rural Regional and Remote Outreach team includes a solicitor, social worker, financial counsellor, and community legal education officer. We provide integrated, holistic services that address the legal, financial, welfare, and safety needs of women affected by domestic and family violence. The team travels to targeted areas across Queensland, offering both in-person and remote support.
Who Can the RRR Outreach Team Help?
Our program assists women living in rural, regional, and remote areas of Queensland who are experiencing domestic violence and who have an identified legal need in relation to Domestic and Family Violence, Child Protection, Family Law and/ or Sexual Assault.
Women residing in the three target areas can receive remote phone support and/ or in-person support during scheduled visits. These areas are visited on a monthly rotating basis:
Women can book an initial legal advice appointment and can be internally referred by WLSQ to our social worker and financial counsellor based on assessed needs linked to the primary legal issue.
How Can the RRR Outreach Team Help?
Under the pilot, the RRR Outreach team provides various forms of assistance, including:
How Can Services Refer Women to the RRR Outreach Team?
Women can call the WLSQ RRR Priority Helpline at 1800 457 117, available from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday. For women assessed as meeting the eligibility criteria WLSQ will schedule an initial legal advice appointments and determine the best mode of support (in-person or remote).
Service providers can refer women by completing a warm referral form, identifying the client as a RRR client. WLSQ will reach out directly to arrange a suitable time for an initial legal appointment and will provide internal referrals to social work and financial counselling.
Important: Please ensure you provide WLSQ with a safe way to contact the client.
When: 5:30pm to 8:00pm, on Mondays
Where: WLSQ Head Office, 5 Ponsonby Street (corner of Ipswich Road), Annerley. Entry via Ponsonby Street. Parking is available on premises and on nearby streets.
What is the evening legal advice clinic?
WLSQ provides a by appointment advice clinic for women to access free legal advice at our office in Annerley on Monday evenings from 5:30pm to 8:00pm.
Who can the evening legal advice clinic help?
Women in Queensland who have booked an appointment through our Statewide Helpline on 1800 957 957, 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday and are seeking legal assistance in relation to domestic and family violence, family separation or divorce, parenting or child safety matters.
We cannot give advice in relation to counselling notes or temporary visas at the evening advice clinic. Clients who require advice on these matters should contact the WLSQ Helpline on 1800 957 957, 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.
How can services refer women to the evening legal advice clinic?
Services can provide warm referrals to the evening legal advice clinic through our online referral form here.
Women wanting to enquire about the process before they arrive can call the WLSQ Helpline on 1800 957 957, 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.
WLSQ delivers community legal education (CLE) for service providers, volunteers, the community and women across Queensland, including in rural, regional and remote areas of the state.
WLSQ presents specialised CLE sessions in the following areas:
If you are interested in WLSQ presenting a CLE to your organisation or workplace, please complete the CLE request form.
Please note that WLSQ may charge a fee for providing this training.
For further information, please contact the WLSQ Community Legal Education Officer:
Email [email protected]
Phone (07) 3392 0644
Call: 1800 957 957
When: 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday
Email: [email protected]
What is the TVPP?
WLSQ is participating in a pilot program supporting women on temporary visas who are experiencing domestic and family violence.
WLSQ can provide family law and immigration legal support for clients who are eligible for the pilot.
Women can be internally referred to TVPP or direct referrals from services can be made by completing the TVPP referral form. Women can also call the WLSQ Helpline on 1800 957 957, 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday, to enquire about booking an appointment with TVPP.
Who can the TVPP help?
Women who hold a temporary visa (including bridging visa or no visa), who are experiencing domestic and family violence, and are financially disadvantaged.
How can the TVPP help?
Under the pilot, WLSQ can offer eligible women the following assistance:
How can services refer women to the TVPP?
Women can call the WLSQ Helpline on 1800 957 957, 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. WLSQ will assess their eligibility for the pilot internally.
Services can warm refer women by completing the TVPP referral form. WLSQ will contact the woman directly to organise a suitable time for an appointment. Please note, you must provide WLSQ with a safe way to contact the woman.
Call: 1800 957 957
When: 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday
Email: [email protected]
What is the CNP program?
The CNP program is a free legal service delivered by WLSQ in partnership with Legal Aid Queensland. The CNP program supports women and not for profit organisations to protect the release of counselling notes to the court in sexual assault matters.
Women can be internally referred to the CNP program if they call the WLSQ Helpline or direct referrals from service providers can be made by completing the WLSQ referral form.
Who can the CNP program help?
Women and not for profit counselling services who are seeking to protect counselling notes from being made available to the court in sexual assault matters.
How can the CNP program help?
Through the CNP program WLSQ can provide advice and, in some cases, representation in court proceedings to seek protection of counselling notes.
How can services refer women to the CNP program?
Women can call the WLSQ Helpline on 1800 957 957, 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. WLSQ will assess their eligibility for the program internally.
Services can warm refer women by completing the WLSQ referral form. We will contact the woman directly to organise a suitable time for an appointment. Please note, you must provide WLSQ with a safe way to contact the woman.
Call: 1800 957 957
When: 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday
What is the Divorce Clinic?
The Divorce Clinic is a WLSQ program that assists women to complete their divorce application paperwork.
Women who contact the WLSQ Helpline and receive a legal advice appointment may be internally referred to the Divorce Clinic.
Services can refer women to the Divorce Clinic by completing the WLSQ referral form, however WLSQ will assess their eligibility for the Divorce Clinic internally.
Who can the Divorce Clinic help?
Women who have no access to other legal options and who are experiencing, or have experienced, domestic violence.
Priority access will be given to women who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander; are from a culturally or linguistically diverse background; or have a disability.
How can the Divorce Clinic help?
If clients are eligible for the clinic, they will be assisted to complete their divorce application paperwork. This may also include helping to serve the other party.
Clients will need to attend any court dates associated with the application themselves.
If women are not eligible for the clinic, they can receive advice regarding divorce by calling the WLSQ Helpline on 1800 957 957, 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.
How can services refer women to the Divorce Clinic?
Women can call the WLSQ Helpline on 1800 957 957, 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. WLSQ will assess their eligibility for the program internally.
Services can refer women to the Divorce Clinic by completing the WLSQ referral form, however WLSQ will assess their eligibility for the Divorce Clinic internally. We will contact the woman directly to organise a suitable time for an appointment. Please note, you must provide WLSQ with a safe way to contact the woman.
Where and when:
What is a duty lawyer?
Duty lawyers provide free legal assistance to clients on the day of court by providing advice and some representation in court. WLSQ participates in the provision of these services each week at the magistrates courts listed above.
Who can WLSQ duty lawyers help?
Women appearing in court on the above listed days at the above listed courts.
Women not appearing in one of the above courts may still be assisted by a duty lawyer from another organisation (such as Legal Aid Queensland) or private lawyers who participate in the program. Clients should call the magistrates court registry where they are appearing to check what duty lawyer arrangements are in place at that court.
If a client has a domestic violence matter that is not listed in the above courts, a WLSQ lawyer can provide advice prior to the court date, however the lawyer will not be able to appear in court. For this advice clients should call the WLSQ Helpline on 1800 957 957, 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.
How can WLSQ duty lawyers help?
WLSQ duty lawyers provide free advice and sometimes representation to women appearing in the above courts on the above days in domestic and family violence matters.
Duty lawyers do not assist with trials, drafting documents, or ongoing representation.
How can services refer women to the WLSQ duty lawyer service?
Services cannot provide warm referrals to the WLSQ duty lawyer service. Women appearing in any of the courts listed above, on the listed days, can present to the court and request to see a duty lawyer from WLSQ.
If they are not appearing in any of the courts listed above, or are appearing on a different day, they can call the WLSQ Helpline on 1800 957 957, 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday to request legal advice.
What is an HJP?
HJPs are partnerships with health care services which connect women receiving medical help, who are experiencing domestic violence, with legal assistance in relation to domestic violence, family separation or divorce, parenting or child safety matters.
Women’s Legal Service Queensland (WLSQ) has HJPs with health care services in southeast Queensland in the Brisbane, Logan, Redlands, Gold Coast and Moreton Bay regions.
Hospital social work staff or health practitioners can refer clients directly to WLSQ through the partnership.
Who can WLSQ help through their HJPs?
Women at these participating healthcare services:
Brisbane
Gold Coast
Moreton Bay
Women who:
Advice is subject to assessment of the initial information provided to ensure WLSQ are able to assist. For further information please see our factsheet here: If WLSQ cannot assist you – Women’s Legal Service Queensland
How can the WLSQ HJPs help?
Our lawyers are available to provide free, confidential legal advice as well as some assistance with legal drafting and the preparation of legal documents.
How can services refer women to the WLSQ HJPs?
Warm referrals can be made by service provider staff and appointments will be made by the WLSQ team with the woman directly.
Contact:
Telephone:
Brisbane: 07 3392 0644
Gold Coast: 07 5631 5920
Moreton Bay: 07 5407 0212
Ask to be transferred to the HJP team.
Email:
Brisbane: [email protected]
Gold Coast: [email protected]
Moreton Bay: [email protected]
WLSQ acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live and work, particularly the Turrbul, Yuggera, Kabi Kabi/Gubbi Gubbi, Ugarapul peoples and the Yugambeh Language Region on whose lands our offices sit. We recognise their continuing connection to this Country, its waters, and culture. We acknowledge that their sovereignty was never ceded. We pay our respects to Elders, past and present, and we especially honour First Nations women and the traditions they carry.
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