Navigating child custody after a separation can feel overwhelming, particularly when emotions are high and decisions need to be made about your child’s future. In Australia, child custody arrangements are often managed through a parenting plan, which outlines how parents will care for and make decisions for their child moving forward. The legal system focuses on ensuring that all arrangements are made in the best interests of the child, rather than prioritising one parent over the other.

When parents separate, one of the most important decisions they must make is how to organise care arrangements for their children.

Prior to bringing an application for parenting and/or property orders, parties are ordinarily required to make a genuine effort to resolve their dispute, including attending mediation and making an offer of settlement with a reasonable timeframe for acceptance.