The core purpose of the Commonwealth includes promoting democracy and good governance, advancing sustainable development, protecting human rights, fostering trade and economic co-operation, empowering youth and civil society, building peace and security, and strengthening cultural and people-to-people ties. Its existence therefore serves to support its members through shared values, practical co-operation and mutual respect, and creating a network where countries can learn from each other, collaborate and uplift their people.
To advance the realisation of the goals set out in the 2019 Declaration on Equal Access to Justice and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, the Commonwealth Heads of Government considered and endorsed the Declaration and Plan of Action on Equal Access to Justice, which had been developed by the Commonwealth Secretariat. This was during their June 2022 meeting in Kigali, Rwanda. At their subsequent meeting in Zanzibar in March 2024, law ministers agreed to the development of the Commonwealth Best Practice Guides on Access to Justice as part of the implementation of the Declaration and Plan of Action. This series of guides is developed pursuant to the law ministers’ endorsement of the need for a practical, experience-based guide to support member countries in developing their own approaches.
This guide explores Trinidad and Tobago’s adoption of the Integrated Family Court (IFC) model, which aims to deliver holistic, child and family-centred justice systems that place equal access to justice at their core. It analyses the development, implementation and current operation of the IFC model in Trinidad and Tobago, and assesses the model’s principles, effectiveness and potential to help inform future reforms across the Commonwealth. This aligns with the core objective of the Equal Access to Justice Declaration and Plan of Action, whose aim is to promote people-centred justice and development.
We hope that it will enable chief justices, attorneys general and other relevant officers to develop and sustain people-centered approaches to justice in their respective jurisdictions.
Acknowledgments
The Commonwealth Secretariat is deeply grateful to The Hon. Mr Justice Archie, who served as Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago at the time the research underpinning this guide was conducted, for his leadership and support. We also extend our sincere appreciation to Wendy Lewis Callender, Deputy Court Executive Administrator, Family and Children Division; Stephanie Burke, Family Court Administrator; Carlene Cross, Children Court Administrator; and the Judges and Masters of the Family and Children Division of the High Court of Trinidad and Tobago. Their engagement and openness enriched the development of this guide.
The Secretariat further acknowledges the valuable contributions of the staff of the Family and Children Division of the High Court of Trinidad and Tobago; the staff of the Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago; the members of the Child Protection Unit of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service; the members of the Father’s Association of Trinidad and Tobago; the members of the Single Mother’s Association of Trinidad and Tobago; and the staff of the Domestic Violence Hot Line. Their practical insights and lived experience provided critical perspectives on child protection and family justice.
We also gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the Trinidad and Tobago Prisons Service; the Office of the Prime Minister (Children and Gender Division); the Legal Aid and Advisory Authority; the Office of the Solicitor General (Children’s Attorneys); and the Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CADV).
We are grateful to Robert Hann of Bob Hann and Associates (Ontario, Canada), Stephanie Daly, Attorney at Law, and the members of the Family Court Monitoring Committee for their thoughtful contributions and technical expertise.
The Commonwealth Secretariat further acknowledges the team in Trinidad and Tobago who conducted the research on which this guide is based – namely Christie-Anne Morris-Alleyne, former Court Executive Administrator, Jamie Philbert, Kernika Wells Adolphe, and Keisha Derrick. Their unpublished study, The Family and Children Division of the High Court of Trinidad and Tobago: A Study Commissioned by the Commonwealth Secretariat (2024), provided the empirical foundation and analytical insights that informed the development of this guide.
In particular, we thank our colleagues in the Commonwealth Secretariat, Rule of Law Section, led by Latoya McDowald-Hurley, for their assistance and support, as well as the invaluable advice and direction provided during the development of this publication. The Secretariat worked closely with the consultant, Dr Corlane Barclay, and is grateful for her professionalism, dedication and time in translating the research findings into practical guidance through the development of this guide.
Finally, the Secretariat conveys its heartfelt thanks to all Commonwealth member countries for their unwavering support, which has continually enabled the Secretariat to deliver on its various mandates, including support for justice reforms.