If you and your partner have recently separated and have children, it can be difficult to know where to start to develop an effective co-parenting relationship. There are a lot of resources available to parents to assist in developing their co-parenting relationship.
Parenting Courses
We always recommend to parents that they look into the courses available. Many courses are available for free locally through avenues such as the Mackay Women’s Centre, UnitingCare and Relationships Australia. Generally, these courses have weekly classes and last about 6-8 weeks, depending on the course. For parents who work a roster and are unable to attend weekly classes there are online self-paced courses available through organisations such as parentingafterseparation.com.au.
Parenting App
A parenting app has lots of benefits. The main benefit is that it allows parents to effectively communicate with each other. You and your former partner can create separate threads for different topics of conversation. For example, one topic could be in relation to “changeovers” while another could be in relation to your child’s “football training”.
All communication including messages and calls are recorded. This can ensure that communication is respectful and child focused.
There is also a shared calendar available so both parents can know what your child’s day looks like and may include for example, extra-curricular activities or medical appointments.
There are different apps available but the most common app we see is the “TalkingParents” app.
Legal Advice
We recommend that you obtain independent legal advice. There are a lot of different options available depending on your situation. You can have a one off appointment to understand the legal framework used to determine what is in a child’s best interest, we can assist you in negotiating an agreement with your former partner, we can prepare a legally binding agreement known as court orders or if necessary, we can assist you through the court process.
Negotiation
If you are comfortable communicating directly with your former partner, you can discuss and negotiate parenting arrangements directly between each other. These discussions could occur on a variety of platforms including a parenting app. Prior to any negotiations regarding parenting arrangements, we recommend that you obtain independent legal advice to understand the legal framework and negotiate with this in mind.
Mediation
If you and your former partner are having difficulty reaching an agreement about parenting arrangements, we recommend you organise a mediation. There are a number of organisations that offer free mediation services for separated parents including Relationships Australia and Family Relationships Centre. A mediator can assist parents in reaching an agreement and can also prepare a written agreement for the parents to sign. A mediator cannot provide you with legal advice, so we recommend that prior to any mediation, you obtain independent legal advice.
If you have recently separated and need assistance, please contact our family law team.
