Parenting & Property Mediation Horsham
Northern Frontiers Mediation assists separated families resolve disputes around parenting and/or property matters and avoid the need for expensive legal fees and court battles. Participants are encouraged to work through their differences and find that middle ground that allows both to move on…
All our services are accessible Australia-wide via phone and video platforms, making it easy to avoid the distress of mediating face-to-face with your ex-partner in the same room. Mediate from the comfort of your own home, office, shed or wherever you choose to be. Spare yourself and your family the distress and expense of a drawn-out court process. Book your Intake & Assessment session now and get things sorted.
Call 1300 90 81 70, text 0419 531 269, email reception@northernfrontiers.com.au. Or talk with us now on the livechat feature at bottom right of this page.
Do I have to mediate?
When family disputes arise around parenting and/or property matters, and parties fail to reach agreement themselves, the Australian Family Law Act 1975 requires parties to seek resolution with the assistance of a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (aka Mediator) prior to seeking court action. There is an expectation that parties mediate in good faith and demonstrate a desire to reach agreement. A s60I certificate may be issued if someone refuses to join mediation (for whatever reason), does not make a genuine effort to resolve the dispute, or when agreement simply cannot be reached.
What if my ex-partner refuses to mediate?
A s60I / 66H certificate may be issued if one party, for whatever reason, does not agree to mediate. You will need the certificate as evidence of your attempt to resolve the dispute through mediation before asking a court to decide things for you. Northern Frontiers’ mediators are accredited to issue these certificates if/when deemed appropriate – and S60I certificates may be issued within 24 hours of your initial assessment.
I’m a grandparent…can I use mediation to gain access to my grandchildren?
Yes, definitely! If you have been cut off from your grandchildren through family separation or any other reason, you must first try to resolve the matter through a Family Dispute Resolution process (mediation) before initiating court action. The court will require proof (i.e., the s60I / 66h certificate) before they will process your application. Northern Frontiers Mediation Horsham provides a Grandparenting Mediation service, which allows people to work through their differences with the assistance of a fully accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (FDRP / Mediator). The process focuses on the best interests of the child/ren and their right to have a meaningful relationship with grandparents and extended family members, provided it is safe to do so. Click here for more information for grandparents.
Do I need to mediate in the same room as my ex-partner?
Absolutely not. If you’re uncomfortable being in each-others’ presence or simply don’t believe that seeing or hearing the other party will help resolve the matter, we offer phone or video-chat options. Quite often one party, or their legal advisor, insist on face-to-face sessions for reasons that are not helpful to resolving matters. It is up to both parties, and ultimately the Mediator, to decide if and how mediation occurs. Most of our clients now request no voice or visual contact so that they can remain focused on the issues, not the other person’s behaviour, difficult history etc.
How much does mediation cost?
The first step is for both parties to complete their individual Intake & Assessment telephone session at a cost of $320.00 per party, which includes the cost of issuing a s60I / s66H certificate if deemed appropriate. If the other party agrees to join the mediation process, the cost of their individual Intake & Assessment phone session is also $320.00. If appropriate to continue to a joint Parenting and/or Property Mediation session, the fee is $220.00 per hour per party. There is also a 30-minute administration charge to prepare any Record of Agreement, pre- and post-session.
This cost represents a huge saving when compared to lawyer fees (typically $400 – $700 per hour) and court costs. The more agreement you can reach through mediation (even if not complete agreement on all matters), the more time, money and stress you save.
For a full breakdown of our mediation fees click here: Parenting Mediation and Property Mediation brochures.
What if I’ve been asked to get help for my Anger before I can see my children?
For matters involving anger-related problems please click here for our Anger Management Program Horsham. The program is accessible Australia-wide from the comfort of your own home, office, workplace, or wherever you prefer to be. We can also provide a Letter of Completion if you require this for Family Law matters, including court ordered anger management programs. Don’t let Anger prevent you from being the parent your child/ren need. We also offer a Youth & Teenager Anger Management Program.
Parenting & Property Mediation Horsham: FREE 15 Minute Consultation
For all enquiries call 1300 90 81 70, text 0419 531 269, email reception@northernfrontiers.com.au. Or use the LiveChat feature at the bottom right of this webpage.
Why should I mediate?
Mediation not only saves you time, money and stress, it also means you maintain control of decision-making and demonstrate to each other that co-operation and joint decision-making can be ongoing beyond separation. At Northern Frontiers there are no long wait lists for parenting or property mediation – the process can commence as quickly as you wish provided both parties make themselves available. The desired result of mediation is either a Record of Parenting Agreement and/or a Record of Property Agreement. The Mediator will prepare the relevant document at the end of the mediation process. It will contain details of any agreement reached. What it will not contain is a ‘transcript’ of what was discussed in mediation. This is because mediation is intended to be a very separate process to litigation (court action) and all that is said in mediation is confidential (limited exceptions apply). You will receive your agreement document/s via email and are advised to seek legal and / or financial advice before signing it. Signed agreements may be forwarded to your legal adviser (if you have one) who can assist with drafting court documents should you wish to formalise your agreement i.e., Consent Order (parenting) or Binding Financial Agreement (property).
What if mediation fails?
Mediation offers an opportunity for people to try and resolve issues and make plans for the future – after all, when it comes to parenting, parents know their children better than anyone else. However, not all mediation processes achieve resolution. If one or both parties fail to mediate in good faith i.e., they’re not intent on reaching agreement – or if both parties believe ‘they’re right and the other’s wrong’, it may be necessary to ask a court to impose a decision on you both, and your child/ren. You will need to request a s60I / 66H certificate from the Mediator as evidence you have at least attempted to resolve matters through mediation. Certificates are only issued for matters that involve parenting matters however, if you mediate for parenting and property matters the Mediator will include property on your certificate. If you only mediate around property matters, you can use the email confirmation stating the time and date of mediation as evidence, or request a formal letter from Northern Frontiers, signed by one of our FDRPs / Mediators (cost is $150.00).
Why choose Northern Frontiers Mediation?
- We get things moving quickly! First step is your Intake & Assessment session with the Mediator – typically no longer that 2-3 business days following your initial contact with us. Government subsidised mediation providers frequently have waitlists extending 3-5 months.
- Both parenting and property matters can be included in a mediation process, saving time and money.
- There is no requirement to mediate face-to-face with your ex-partner. The entire mediation process may be completed via phone or videochat, and you don’t even need to have direct voice contact if you prefer (the Mediator switches between the parties).
- Our mediators (Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners – FDRPs) are fully accredited through the Attorney General’s Department in Canberra and can therefore issue s60I certificates. Family Law lawyers know what these are, as they are required prior to going court.
- We encourage clients to seek legal and financial advice before, during and after mediation however, you are not required to have your lawyer present during mediation, unless you so wish.
What is the mediation process?
At Northern Frontiers Mediation step 1 requires the initiating party (Party A) to complete their individual Intake & Assessment telephone session with the Mediator. Once completed, the Mediator will either advise it is not appropriate to mediate and issue a s60I/66H certificate or advise that it is appropriate for us to invite the other party to complete their Intake & Assessment session. Once both parties have completed their intake sessions and the Mediator deems it appropriate to mediate, we can schedule a joint session. At Northern Frontiers we do not believe in half or full-day mediation marathons. We typically schedule sessions for 1 – 3 hours duration. In that way participants can take time out to think things through and regroup – or get follow-up legal advice etc…ready for the next session.
What if my matter is urgent?
If you are facing time constraints e.g. upcoming court date or if you fear any delay will increase the risk of harm to a child or children, please let us know. We can prioritise urgent matters.
What can I mediate about?
Any parenting or property issues may be assessed as appropriate for mediation. During the Intake & Assessment session parties are asked to list their proposed agenda items. These typically include (but are not limited to):
- choice of child’s school,
- extracurricular activities,
- time spent with each parent,
- communication between parents,
- healthcare choices,
- the child’s name/surname,
- parental relocation with or without the child/ren,
- rules around re-partnering,
- cultural issues,
- religious issues, and
- interstate/international travel with the child/ren (including disputes around passport applications).
Does Northern Frontiers Mediation assist with property or financial matters post-separation?
Yes. As a guide, a full Northern Frontiers Property Mediation process includes the following steps:
- review and agree on contributions made by both parties at commencement of the relationship,
- review contributions made by both parties during the relationship (i.e., primary income earners, primary child carers and household keepers etc),
- identify property pool assets and liabilities to be distributed (or finalised), and
- provide a safe, confidential forum in which to discuss the fair and equitable division of assets and liabilities to finalise your financial relationship.
Once agreement is reached, the Mediator will provide a Record of Property Agreement. This document may be presented to your lawyer who can assist with drafting the required paperwork to formalise your agreement.
Click here for Parenting Mediation brochure, including pricing
Click here for Property Mediation brochure, including pricing
Got a question or three?
Contact our Reception and confidentially discuss your situation today. Call 1300 90 81 70, send a detailed text message to client mobile 0419 531 269, email reception@northernfrontiers.com.au or use the online chat feature at the bottom right of this webpage to speak with someone now. Don't worry, there is no obligation to make a booking, and we are happy to answer any questions you have if you are just researching different providers.
Phone
+1300 90 81 70
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.