Legal Aid Lifeline is the Centre for Family Equity's three-year initiative to ensure that survivors of family violence across BC have access to quality family law legal aid. 

Family law legal aid can be a lifeline — but for many survivors of family violence in BC, accessing it is only part of the journey. Services need to meet the real needs of the people who use them. What happens when the system falls short? What works, and what needs to change? That's what we want to understand — and we need your help to find out. 

Apply today: October focus groups are now open

We are hosting three online focus groups in October 2026. The focus groups are open to survivors of intimate partner or family violence who have accessed or interacted with BC’s family law legal aid system within the last five years. The focus groups will be held as follows:

• Focus group #1: Wednesday, October 7th, 2026, 6:30- 8:00 pm 
• Focus group #2: Tuesday, October 20th, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
• Focus group #3: Monday, October 26th, 12:30 - 2:00 pm  

The insights we gather will directly shape our recommendations on how to improve family law legal aid services for survivors across BC.  

Each focus group will be:

• A 1.5 hour online focus group.  
• Supported by trained, trauma-informed Parent Connectors with lived experience of family violence and interacting with legal services. 
• Optional aftercare support is available to all participants, including up to two one-on-one sessions with a registered clinical counsellor who supports this initiative.

Focus group participants will receive $130 in honoraria, with childcare support included in this amount. To receive honoraria, participants must attend the entire focus group. Please note that you can only sign up for and participate in one focus group. 

Apply to participate today!

Spaces are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Filling out the sign-up form does not guarantee a spot in a focus group.

And please visit our project page to download our focus group posters and our Legal Aid Lifeline project summary!

Frontline Family Law Legal Aid Roundtable

The Frontline Family Legal Aid Sector Roundtable will formally bring together frontline service providers, advocates, and other related community interests to shape, evaluate, and provide critical input on legal aid delivery in BC. The ground-level insights of those working directly with those accessing legal aid are vital in ensuring these services are truly accessible, trauma-informed, and responsive to the real challenges clients face. The goal is to ensure the frontline sector is helping to collectively shape and impact the development of legal aid services in BC.