Our Mediators have assisted hundreds of families to address unresolved co-parenting issues and to reach long-lasting and workable Parenting Agreements.
In a Mediation, an independent chairperson (the Mediator) hosts and guides a conversation between the parties to help them identify and assess options in order to reach an agreement about practical Parenting Arrangements and how their can be formalised.
Who the child/ren are to live with
How much time they are to spend with the other parent
Involvement of third parties including step-parents and grandparents
Allocation of responsibility for payment of additional child related expenses (not dealt with in a Child Support assessment)
Arrangements for special days and holidays
Arrangements for how you and your ex are to communicate with each other about the children
Where possible, we recommend parties attend Mediation with their Family Lawyers so that they can get on-the-spot advice and support about the issues discussed.
If only one of the parties has a Lawyer, the Family Lawyer can attend as long as the other party agrees.
As you reach agreements about the relevant issues, we can note the agreements in a simple dot point document, or we can draft a Parenting Plan or Consent Orders setting out the Parenting Agreement for you to review and sign during Mediation, or for you to take to your Family Lawyer for further advice before signing. Please note that there are additional fees for our preparation of a Parenting Plan or Consent Orders.
If you are unable to reach agreement and are considering going to Court, we can issue a Section 60I Certificate that is required to be filed with the Court when you apply for Parenting Orders.
Anna Roberts is a qualified Mediator and Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner. She is also a highly skilled and experienced Family Lawyer with over 15 years’ experience in Family Law matters and holds a Master’s degree in Applied Family Law.
Her experience in the legal sector has given her an understanding of the challenges faced by parties in a Family Law dispute and, in particular, the delay and dissatisfaction caused by the Family Court system and ongoing legal battles.
Parental alienation is a phenomenon that occurs when a child aligns with one of their parents, and rejects the other parent due to alienating behaviours of the first parent.
Any type of family dispute can be suitable for Mediation, whether it is about parenting, child support, property division, spousal maintenance, or even other family issues between a parent and adult child.
Alternative dispute resolution processes are becoming the standard practice in a Family Law matter. So, how can you as a Lawyer maximise your client’s results at a Family Law Mediation?
The best venue to discuss and resolve parenting, property and financial issues is at a lawyer-assisted Family Law Mediation.
Family Law Mediation is also called Family Dispute Resolution (“FDR“) and is the first step in parenting and property proceedings.
