Children & Parenting

• Time with each parent: We help develop schedules, parenting plans, or consent orders that detail the time children spend with each parent, including school holidays, special occasions, and time during school terms.

• Modification of current arrangements: We assist clients in modifying existing arrangements due to changes in circumstances, such as relocation, changes in the child’s needs, or parental capabilities.

• Recovery Applications: We provide support with urgent applications for the recovery of children who may have been withheld. This includes cases involving international removal risks and situations where children may need to be placed on a Watch List.

• Third-party Applications: We assist significant persons in a child’s life, such as grandparents, long-term step-parents, and other relevant individuals, in obtaining time spent with a child.

Our team on the Sunshine Coast and in Townsville assists with all aspects of child support matters:

• Calculation: Using state guidelines, we help calculate the amount of child support based on factors such as the parents’ incomes, the needs of the child, and the time the child spends with each parent.

• Enforcement: We take legal action to enforce child support orders when a parent fails to meet their payment obligations.

• Modification: We assist in modifying child support assessments or agreements if there are significant changes in either parent’s financial situation or the needs of the child.

• Binding Child Support Agreements: We provide guidance on whether a Binding Child Support Agreement may be suitable for the client. These agreements can include provisions regarding periodic child support payments (or waivers), schooling fees, costs of extracurricular activities, medical expenses, and more.

Our team on the Sunshine Coast and in Townsville assists with all aspects of parental responsibilities:

• Establishment of Paternity: We help establish paternity to ensure the legal recognition of a parent.

• Parental Responsibility: We provide advice and assistance in establishing parental responsibilities and rights, including decision-making authority over a child’s education, healthcare, and religious upbringing.

Our team on the Sunshine Coast and in Townsville assists with all aspects of guardianship matters:

• Guardianship Appointment of Guardians: We help clients appoint legal guardians for their children in situations where parents are unable to care for them due to illness, incarceration, or incapacity.

• Guardianship Proceedings: We represent clients in court during guardianship proceedings to ensure the best interests of the child are met.

Child Protection Application: In cases where serious abuse or neglect is alleged and the Department of Child Safety is involved, our team on the Sunshine Coast and in Townsville can provide expert advice on the options available to parents or extended family members seeking to become a kinship carer.

Our team on the Sunshine Coast and in Townsville assists with all aspects of relocation matters:

• Relocation Requests: We help clients obtain court approval to relocate with a child, which often requires demonstrating that the move is in the child’s best interests.

• Opposition to Relocation: We represent clients who wish to oppose the relocation of their child by the other parent.

Our team on the Sunshine Coast and in Townsville assists clients in resolving family law disputes through mediation and alternative approaches

• Mediation Services: We facilitate mediation sessions to help parents reach amicable agreements on children’s matters without resorting to litigation.

• Collaborative Law: We engage in collaborative law practices, where both parties agree to work together to resolve disputes with the support of their attorneys and other professionals.

Our team on the Sunshine Coast and in Townsville provides expert representation in arbitration and trial proceedings:

Arbitration: We represent clients in arbitrations and advise on when arbitration may be in their best interests. This method is often chosen as a more private, flexible, and potentially faster alternative to court litigation.

Trials: A trial is a formal judicial process where disputes are presented before a judge, who makes binding decisions based on the evidence and legal arguments provided by each party.

Our Parenting Coordinators are here to support you every step of the way, and can assist you to:

• Improve Communication & Decision-Making: Establish clearer, more constructive ways to communicate and make parenting decisions in the best interests of your children.

• Resolve Day-to-Day Disputes: Address practical parenting issues as they arise, helping both parties reach timely and workable outcomes.

• Ensure Compliance with Orders: Support both parents in understanding and following parenting orders, agreements and established arrangements.

• Keep Matters Out of Court Wherever Possible: Resolve ongoing issues in a practical, child-focused way, reducing the need for further legal proceedings.