Justice Support Centre

12/10/2026

This Anti-Poverty Week (11–17 October), we're thinking about what access to the right help can mean.
Through our partnership with the Welfare Rights Centre, our lawyers have already helped 30+ Centrelink recipients across South West Sydney recover close to $40,000 in back payments, money that goes straight to groceries, rent and medical care.
Financial security is safety. That's why our legal, casework and financial counselling teams work side by side.

08/10/2026

We’re thrilled to be partnering with Fairfield Women's Health Service for this one. Come and join in the conversation!

We’re pleased to invite you to join us for an important and supportive conversation, presented in collaboration with Justice Support Centre on Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) and its impact on women, children and families.
This session is an opportunity to listen, learn and connect, while gaining a deeper understanding of the support services and resources available within our community.
We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful conversation as we come together to build awareness, strengthen connections and promote support within our community 💜 .
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05/10/2026

Well. We think this reflection from one of our staff members speaks for itself.
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The Door She Came Back Through
A reflection
Yesterday, a woman walked back into our office. Over six years, she has come to us many times: for court support, for safety planning, sometimes because she didn't know where else to go. There were long stretches when we didn't hear from her, and then she would return.
This time, she hadn't come about a court matter. She came because she wasn't okay and was worried about her own safety. When we asked what had brought her to us, she said we were the only place that had never judged her and had supported her no matter what.
We sat with her, made sure she was safe, and connected her with the mental health support she needed. But her words stayed with us long after she left.
"She came back because of a hundred small moments where she was met with respect instead of judgement."
In our work, we rarely see the whole picture. We meet women at some of the most frightening points in their lives, often for just a few hours around a court date, and most of the time we never learn what happens next. It's easy to measure our work in what fits in a report: orders made, referrals completed, matters finalised.
But the path out of domestic and family violence is rarely straight. Women leave and return, withdraw and re-engage. What this woman reminded us of is that some of our most important work never appears in a report. It's in not sighing when someone calls for the fifth time. It's in treating every return as a return, not a failure. It's in being steady in a life where very little else is.
She didn't come back because of one big intervention. She came back because, over six years, she learned that our door would always open. On a day when she wasn't sure she could keep herself safe, she knew exactly where to go.
The client made a point to say, ‘If you weren’t here, I wouldn’t be here’
This goes beyond the DV space and into the social work/humanity of the work that we do
To every worker who has wondered whether the small things matter: they do.

01/10/2026

From supporting over 5,000 people, to this, our 40th year, supporting over 24,000.
That's the story behind our new Annual Report: four decades of legal help, casework and advocacy for South West and Inner Sydney. Full report coming soon!

24/09/2026

"I celebrate it by showing up. Every single day I walk in, I carry with me the memory of those first five people and what we were trying to do."

That's how one of our longest-serving employees describes 40 years of Justice Support Centre. Her reflection, and many more like it, feature in our 2026 Annual Report, launching soon. Watch this space.

22/09/2026

Nothing motivates our team more than hearing how our work changes lives. This week, we've been reflecting on feedback from clients who've told us that having the right legal and casework support beside them made all the difference during the hardest chapter of their lives. Thank you for trusting us. This is why we do what we do.

Check out just one below...

“As my matter comes to a close, I just wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for all the work and support you've provided throughout this process. Your professionalism and dedication were clear every step of the way — and the way you handled everything with patience and understanding made a real difference. I can say without a doubt that the work you do has a truly significant impact on women who are struggling to find their feet.”
— Client

Read more in our Sept Quarterly newsletter and our upcoming annual report

17/09/2026

Last week, our Principal Solicitor, Liz Simpson, joined a panel in collaboration with Fairfield Women’s Health Service to speak about the impact of our legal work across South West Sydney.

Speaking to the theme “Do it anyway”, Liz shared the story of “Hannah*”, a survivor of domestic and sexual violence who reached out for help despite fear, uncertainty and significant family pressure.

Through trusted, face-to-face support and collaboration with Hannah’s caseworker and counsellor, JSC helped her secure $20,000 in financial assistance, relocate somewhere safer and change unsafe child handover arrangements.

It’s a powerful example of why accessible, community-based legal support matters.

Last year, JSC supported close to 1,400 people, with more than 70% unable to afford a lawyer otherwise.

Our partnership with Fairfield Women’s Health Service helps us meet women where they are, with a JSC lawyer attending their Cabramatta service every second Tuesday.

As Liz reminded the audience, “Do it anyway” is also a challenge to services like ours: to be there when someone reaches out, and to help connect them with the support they need.

“The work you do has a truly significant impact on women who are struggling to find their feet.”

We’re proud of Liz and the work our teams continue to do every day across South West Sydney.

*Name changed to protect privacy

14/09/2026

We're thrilled to share that Justice Support Centre has a WDVCAS worker dedicated to the new Sexual Violence Justice System Navigator Pilot.

This pilot places specialist sexual violence workers, known as Justice System Navigators, alongside Police at select stations to support victim-survivors as they navigate the police and court process, whether they're considering making a report or have already done so.

Navigators can assist anyone who is female, identifies as female, or non-binary, aged 16 or over, whose matter falls within their local police area, and who has experienced sexual violence in any context, domestic or otherwise. Support includes guidance through the pre-reporting, investigation and court stages, plus referrals to services like legal advice.

Our SWSWDVCAS Manager, Nikki Williams, shared what this means for our service:
"Being part of this pilot means a lot to us. The success of our co-location pilot project gives us real confidence in this model, and we believe the Sexual Violence Justice System Navigator will help close an important gap, offering vital support to women at one of the hardest points in their journey when reporting sexual violence."

The pilot is running at Fairfield, Nowra, Orange and Belmont police stations, funded until 30 June 2028, with onboarding and rollout expected from late September 2026.

10/09/2026

It's R U OK Day. A simple conversation can change a life. Our ask this question often, in courtrooms, in counselling sessions, and in quiet moments after a hard conversation. Today, we're encouraging everyone to check in on the people around them, because sometimes just being asked is enough to open the door to support. If you or someone you know needs help, our team is here.

07/09/2026

Our September Quarterly Newsletter is here, and this one's a milestone edition.

This year marks of Justice Support Centre. Forty years since a small group of Liverpool locals opened a legal centre with a $30,000 grant, one solicitor and a part-time secretary. Forty years on, we're a team approaching 90 people, reaching over 24,000 people across South West Sydney, the Inner West, the City of Sydney and beyond. Wow.

Inside this edition, you'll find:

The story of our 40th anniversary celebrations,
standout growth across our WDVCAS, First Nations Focused and Disability Focus Casework Services
A funding win for our Staying Home Leaving Violence program, five years in the making, our reflections for RU OK Day, and why a simple conversation can change a life.

There's a lot to be proud of in this one. Read the full newsletter to see how far we've come, and where we're headed next.
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