Australian Mediation - Parenting Mediation
Parenting Mediation, also known as Family Dispute Resolution (FDR), is a process established under Australian family law to assist separated families to resolve disputes relating to parenting arrangements, children's matters and property settlement issues without the need for court proceedings.
Under Australian family law, separated parents who cannot agree about parenting arrangements are generally required to make a genuine effort to resolve their dispute through Family Dispute Resolution before applying to a court for parenting orders, unless limited exemptions apply.
Australian Mediation provides accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners (FDRPs) who are authorised to conduct Family Dispute Resolution conferences and issue Section 60I and Section 66H Certificates where appropriate.
Australian Mediation, with our Parenting Mediation service, offers separated parents a practical, confidential and cost-effective way to reach agreements regarding parenting arrangements, communication, decision-making responsibilities, time spent with children and other child-focused matters. Resolving disputes through mediation can save significant time, legal costs and emotional stress compared to litigation, while helping to promote stability, cooperation and positive outcomes for children.
Our practitioners can also assist parents to develop clear and workable Parenting Plans tailored to the needs of their family.
If the other parent is unwilling or unable to participate in mediation, Australian Mediation also offers a Parenting Proposal Preparation Service. This individual service allows you to work one-on-one with an experienced Mediator to develop a detailed parenting proposal that can be presented to the other parent for consideration and may assist in progressing discussions and negotiations.
Contact Australian Mediation today to discuss Parenting Mediation, obtain advice about the Family Dispute Resolution process, or arrange an appointment with an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner.
At Australian Mediation we understand the many discomforts of separation. For that reason we specialise in offering phone and video (FaceTime, MS Teams and Zoom) sessions with direct or no direct voice contact. Our aim is to provide the most comfortable forum for you to air your concerns and work towards resolution. It all starts with a confidential Intake & Assessment session with your mediator.
If your matter relates primarily to property, please click here for our Property Mediation information.
Enquire or Book Now
Or read on for further information...
To enquire or book your individual Intake & Assessment session call 1300 90 81 70, message 0419 531 269, or email office@australianmediation.com.au
Ask about our FREE 15min consultation (can be shorter if you only have a few questions) or use the LiveChat feature on this webpage to ask any questions or to make a booking.
Concerned your ex-partner won't agree to mediation?
Click here to learn more about our Parenting Proposal Preparation and Property Proposal Preparation services that can help you develop your preferred a parenting and / or property proposal. Your proposal can then be presented to the other party, and/or their legal advisor, for their consideration - saving you significant time and money. If the other party does then wish to join mediation you can continue or commence a process.
Why choose Australian Mediation?
- We get things moving quickly! First step is your Intake & Assessment session with the Mediator - typically no longer that 2-4 business days following your initial contact with us. If your matter is assessed as appropriate for mediation and the other party agrees to join the process, you could be mediating within 2-3 weeks, or as soon as both parties make themselves available. Government subsidised mediation providers frequently have waitlists extending 4-5 months.
- You only need to do one Intake & Assessment session, regardless of whether you wish to mediate around parenting, property or both. Not all government-funded mediation services offer property mediation - it’s dependent on staffing. Australian Mediation is consistently staffed to assist with parenting and/or property matters.
- We have fully accredited mediators (aka Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners) and can therefore issue s60I certificates.
- Australian Mediation welcomes your lawyer’s input to the mediation process, however, they are there to give you advice when you request it, and the Mediator will discuss decisions directly with you. You can discuss this with the Mediator in your Intake & Assessment session. Also, we only provide no direct voice contact (the old version of shuttle mediation) when one party is legally represented and the other is not. This ensures we have a level playing field.
- And lastly, you'll have more flexibility over whether your joint session is conducted via phone or video. Remember, unless you think it would be really beneficial to see or hear each other during mediation, you don’t have to. This is completely ok and something you should talk to your mediator about in your Intake & Assessment session. We want your mediation to be as stress-free as possible…
Family separation can be a time of great stress and uncertainty - especially for children.
What children need most is Routine, Reliability and Regularity – as well as happy parents. Ongoing parental conflict is the number one risk factor in terms of children’s long-term mental health and well-being.
Separated families who disagree about a parenting issue/s are legally required to make a genuine effort to resolve their differences before asking a court to decide (exemptions apply). Mediation is a common, inexpensive form of dispute resolution.
At Australian Mediation we pride ourselves on providing friendly child-focused parenting and property mediation services.
Is my matter suitable for mediation?
Anything to do with parenting may be listed as an agenda item for mediation and included in a parenting plan. Examples include a child’s education; time spent with each parent; communication between parents; health; surname; passports; vaccinations; parental relocation with the child (and child-recover matters); rules for re-partnering; cultural issues, religion etc.
If your dispute is around division of property due to family separation, Australian Mediation can assist with a structured Property Mediation process. Please click here for our Property Mediation service information.
What happens if the other party does not join the mediation process?
Firstly, if the other party refuses to join the mediation process a s60I or 66H certificate may be issued by the Mediator. This may indicate that you have started the mediation process (by doing your Intake & Assessment session) but for whatever reason the other party has not joined, and the whole process can not continue. If this does occur, you can still meet with one of our Mediators and generate a property proposal that can either be presented by yourself to the other party for their review, or used as a basis for any court / legal applications. Please click here for more information on either our Property Proposal Preparation or Parenting Preparation Proposal service.
Who can start mediation?
Anyone with an ongoing interest in the care and well-being of a child can initiate family law mediation. This includes parents (regardless of marital status or length of relationship); stepparents; grandparents, other extended family members and significant others.
Clients can advise the other party that they will, or would like to, commence a parenting mediation process, or you can rely on Northern Frontiers Mediation to do this as part of our formal process. Some clients believe it will achieve a better result if they advise their ex-partner of the mediation process, whereas others prefer to limit direct contact with the other party and ask Australian Mediation to assist. Please discuss your preferences, and individual circumstances, with the Australian Mediation Reception team.
Is Parenting Mediation expensive?
Parenting Mediation is intended to be an alternative to only relying on lawyers and Courts to resolve your matter. As lawyers cost between $400 - $700 per hour per party, Australian Mediation charges significantly less than these legal costings. This means you can save considerable money (often $1,000s) by utilising an impartial Mediator to assist in resolving your matters, rather than only lawyers (where each party requires their own). For a full breakdown of our mediation costs please click here to review our pricing and conditions details.
How soon can I get started?
As soon as you like! The longest you might wait for an Intake and Assessment Session is normally 3 - 5 business days. This is your first formal step in taking control of your family situation so that all involved can move on…
Appointment times:
For your convenience Australian Mediation offers appointments from 7.30am weekdays. To enquire call 1300 90 81 70, text 0419 531 269, use our online chat feature, or email office@australianmediation.com.au
Got a question or three?
If you are not sure where to start, contact our Office today and confidentially talk through your situation. There is no pressure to book, and we are happy to provide information (not advice) where possible.
Call 1300 90 81 70, text message 0419 531 269, email office@australianmediation.com.au, or use the online chat feature on this page to speak with someone now.
There’s no obligation to make a booking. We’re happy to answer your questions, even if you’re simply researching your options or comparing different mediation providers.
Contact Us Today
Phone
Mobile: 0419 531 269 (text or call)
LiveChat: If you have any questions about our services and don't have time to ring or email, feel free to use the online chat function (bottom right of this page).
Reception Opening Hours
Mon-Fri: 7.30 am – 8.00 pm. Last-minute sessions available for urgent matters. Text message 0419 531 269 for the fastest response.