Our Services
Parenting Mediation
Mediation empowers each party to retain control over decision-making regarding their parenting matter, while avoiding the time, cost, and formality of court proceedings. Mediation is guided by a focus on outcomes that serve the best interests of the child or children, while also being workable and appropriate for the parties and relevant family members. Furthermore, it enables disputes to be resolved in a way that can significantly reduce stress for both the parties and the children involved. The process is confidential, meaning discussions held during mediation cannot be relied upon in court if an agreement is not reached. Our mediation sessions are professionally structured and conducted in a neutral, unbiased, and impartial manner, creating a supportive and respectful environment for constructive dialogue and resolution.
Parenting Plans for Drafting Consent Orders
Upon conclusion of the mediation session and where agreement is reached by both parties, a Parenting Plan can be prepared to reflect the agreed arrangements. A Parenting Plan records the terms of your agreement but is not legally binding. However, the Parenting Plan that you are provided upon completion of your mediation may then be provided to your solicitor for the purpose of drafting Consent Orders and become legally binding.
A Parenting Plan may address matters including, but not limited to, the living arrangements for the child or children, parental decision-making and responsibilities, medical care, education, communication between the parties, parental conduct in the presence of the child, and any other special conditions. Provision may also be made for review of the arrangements and any future amendments.
Section 60i Certificate
In most cases, the Family Law Act 1975 requires parties seeking Parenting Orders to participate in mediation with an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (FDRP) before allowing a matter to be heard in court. Therefore, in most circumstances, an initiating party needs to obtain a Section 60i Certificate, to show that parties have attempted to reconcile their parenting matter outside of court first. In circumstances where a matter cannot be settled in mediation or is not appropriate to do so, a Section 60i Certificate can be issued and must be filed with the Court as part of an application for Parenting Orders .
Furthermore, we will assess whether mediation is appropriate and required in your circumstances and will discuss the relevant Section 60i Certificate with you where mediation is deemed to not be a suitable process for your parenting matter.
There are several types of Section 60i Certificates, and the specific certificate provided may have implications for any subsequent court proceedings. More information regarding the different types of Section 60i Certificates can be found on the ‘Our Process’ page under Step 9: Issuance of Section 60i Certificate (where appropriate).
Child Inclusive Practice (CIP)
Child Inclusive Practice (CIP) supports the inclusion of a child’s perspective in decisions relating to their care and wellbeing throughout the post-separation process. We provide a safe platform for your child to have their voice included in their Parenting Plan and achieve this through a child-focused one hour face-to-face session in our Thirroul, NSW location. Our CIP process is guided by trauma-informed principles and evidence to first assess whether CIP is appropriate in meeting your child’s individual needs and therefore appropriate for your parenting matter.
Where suitable and deemed appropriate for CIP to occur, the FDRP/ Children’s Consultant will meet with the child individually and then provide feedback and recommendations to the parties during mediation to inform discussions and support the development of a Parenting Plan.
