Separating from your partner can be an emotional time, not only for you and your partner, but for everyone in the family. In families with children, the separation of parents can be particularly hard on the children, so it’s important to keep their best interests at heart through the emotional and legal journey that follows. Fortunately, the Family Law Act ensures that the best interests of the children are always represented and prioritised in legal circumstances. Read on to find out what kinds of things you need to consider from a legal perspective when your family is going through a relationship separation.
What to Do First
If you and your former partner are separated and considering divorce, it is important to discuss future parenting arrangements. Protecting the rights of children is undoubtedly among the most important aspects of a separation. The law encourages you to come up with a jointly agreed upon parenting plan, however, if you have trouble agreeing to arrangements, it’s advisable to seek family law advice from your local solicitors.
Making Use of Resources
Each family is unique, and there are no hard-and-fast rules about how you should go about parenting after separation. We advise that you to make use of the valuable resources made available to help you navigate this tricky time. The Family Law Court provides a number of resources for Parenting After Separation including the Family Relationship Advice Line, information about dispute resolution and legal information about Parenting Plans and Consent Orders. It can also be helpful to seek family law advice from your local family lawyers in Melbourne.
Things to Consider When Making a Parenting Plan
There are a range of things that you will have to consider when discussing custody arrangements. The family law experts at Robert Wood and Associates can guide you through the process of making a plan to make it as stress-free as possible for everyone involved. Some important questions you’ll need to ask when making the plan include:
- Where will the children live?
- Where will they go to school?
- How will they attend extra-curricular events?
- How will your existing work arrangements affect your situation?
- Where and when will your children spend time with others?
- How will your arrangements remain flexible and consider the future?
- How will both parents maintain healthy relationships with the child/ren?
- How will you manage disputes?
What Happens if We Can’t Agree on Parenting Arrangements?
If you and your former partner can’t agree on parenting arrangements, the matter may have to be resolved in court. In this case, we strongly encourage you to contact your family lawyers in Melbourne for advice. The Family Law Court can be tricky to navigate, but with the right help you can achieve the best possible results for you and your children and with minimum stress. For further advice, we recommend getting in touch with our team on 9762 3877 or visiting our offices in Boronia, Eastern Melbourne.
