Family practitioners report feeling isolated

Family lawyers are feeling more isolated and less connected to their peers and colleagues since the UK went into lockdown, a new poll conducted by Resolution has found.

The news comes as new covid-19 restrictions are announced and fears of a renewed lockdown intensify.

Two thirds (65%) of those responding the survey said they felt less connected to the legal community since the UK went into lockdown in March.

Members also raised concerns for younger colleagues who no longer have the ability to observe and converse with senior practitioners and learn informally from them.

Nearly half (46%) of those polled said their professional development had suffered during lockdown, with examples including missed training opportunities due to the cancelation of events.

Resolution chair Juliet Harvey said: “The course of the pandemic over the past six months has led us all to rethink and re-evaluate what the future holds. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has been thinking about the long-term impact covid-19 will have on how we as professionals build our skills and maintain and expand our networks.

“It’s worrying, albeit not entirely surprising, that family practitioners are feeling isolated from their peers and colleagues at a time when that sense of connection, purpose and shared values is more important than ever.”

The results come ahead of Resolution’s upcoming online three-day conference, which will focus on networking and professional development. The Future of Family Practice conference is scheduled for 14 -16 October.

Harvey added: “In view of the significant reduction, or in many cases complete absence, of face-to-face meetings, this conference focuses heavily on networking and exchanging ideas – we’ve created a virtual ‘café’ to allow people to have those informal conversations they’d normally have over a coffee or a sandwich.

“We need to continue to bring professionals together as best we can after what has been – to put it mildly - a challenging year for us all. I can’t think of a more appropriate subject area for Resolution to tackle.”

For more information about the Future of Family Online Conference visit: https://resolution.org.uk/future-of-family-practice-conference-2020/