Learn the process
Plain-English guides to how parenting matters work in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. Start at the top and work down, or jump to what you need.
Not legal advice.This site provides general information and self-help tools only. It is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer–client relationship. Always seek independent legal advice about your own situation.
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How parenting matters work in the Family Court
A plain-English overview of how parenting disputes are resolved in Australia, from separation and mediation through to court orders, with safety and the child at the centre.
Representing yourself in the Family Court
A practical guide to representing yourself in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, your obligations, court etiquette and where to get help.
The 2024 family law changes explained
A plain-English guide to the Family Law Amendment Act 2023, in force from 6 May 2024, and what the reforms mean for separated parents making parenting arrangements.
Safety
Family violence and parenting orders
How family violence is defined, why safety is the paramount concern, and how state protection orders and federal parenting orders work together.
Recovery orders when a child is withheld or taken
What a recovery order is, when to apply, and how location orders, information orders and the Family Law Watchlist help find or protect a child.
Mediation
Family dispute resolution (FDR / mediation)
What family dispute resolution is, why you generally must try it before applying for parenting orders, how to prepare, and what happens if it does not resolve.
The section 60I certificate
What a section 60I certificate is, the five types a practitioner can issue, how long it lasts, when you do not need one, and how to get one.
Applying
Parenting plans vs consent orders vs court orders
How parenting arrangements can be recorded in Australia — parenting plans, consent orders and court orders — and the crucial differences in how each one can be enforced.
Applying for parenting orders
How to start an application for parenting orders in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, from pre-action steps and forms to filing, service and the first court event.
Interim and final orders
How interim (short-term) parenting orders differ from final orders, how an interim hearing runs on the papers, and the path to a final trial.
Relocation moving with the children
What relocation means in Australian family law, how a court decides it on the child's best interests, and the steps to take before you or the other parent moves.
Evidence
Why keeping records matters and how to do it well
How contemporaneous records become powerful evidence in a parenting matter, what to keep, how to record facts safely, and the caution you must know before recording anyone.
Affidavits in parenting matters
How to write a court-ready affidavit for a parenting case — the golden rules, the format requirements, and the page and annexure limits.
Co-parenting communication apps courts trust
The dedicated apps separated parents use to communicate — with unalterable, timestamped records that can be produced as evidence — and how they differ from texts and email.
At court
Best interests, ICLs and family reports
How the Family Court decides what is in a child's best interests since May 2024, plus the role of Independent Children's Lawyers and family reports.
What happens at your first court date
A calm, practical guide to your first court event in a parenting case — what it is, who is there, how to prepare, court etiquette, and likely outcomes.
After orders
When the other parent breaks the orders
What to do when parenting orders are not being followed — reasonable excuse, your options, how a contravention application works, and what a court can order.
Child support the basics for separated parents
How child support works in Australia, how an assessment is worked out from income and care, how to apply, collection options, and how it links to parenting.