Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA)
This is the court that will deal with your Family Law matter, if you and your ex-partner are not able to work things out between you. The Court encourages people who are separating to try to resolve their financial division and arrangements for their children before going to Court. If that is not possible, then the Court’s first step once you reach court will usually be to assist you to mediate with your ex-partner (there may be times when this is not appropriate). The FCFCOA website has a lot of fact sheets and information available for separating couples.
Family Violence
If you are in immediate danger please call 000. If you are not in immediate danger, but you are experiencing violence in your relationship, please feel free to contact me. Whether or not you choose to engage me as your lawyer, I am happy to direct you to family violence services to help you. I will not charge you just for pointing you in the right direction. A good starting point is the Orange Door website - a free referral service for those experiencing family violence. On the Orange Door website you can search for family violence help in your area, as well as find information about family violence. The website has a Safe Exit button (in the top right hand corner) to leave the site quickly if you feel you will be in danger for viewing it.
Getting Divorced Online
If you feel up to it, you can file your own Divorce Application on the Commonwealth Courts Portal. You can make an account for the Portal here. You will not need an account for the Portal if we are acting for you, as we will file the documents for you and provide you with copies.
Child Development
After separation it is essential to design a routine that is developmenally suitable for your children. Raising Children has a lot of information about stages of development, set out in stages from Pregnancy, Newborns, Babies and Toddlers to Preschoolers, School age, Pre-teens and Teens. It even has a section on Grown Ups. We like it because the information is easy to find, no matter how old your children are.
Startingblocks.gov.au briefly describes some of the stages of development that children go through from birth to five years. Understanding your child’s developmental stage(s) can help you design a routine to suit them after you separate. This page also has information about childcare options.
Simple Psychology gives a fairly in-depth, but easy to understand explanation of Attachment Theory - this is the theory that states that children form strong attachments to those who respond accurately and sensitively to their needs. A basic understanding of Attachment Theory can help you to design a good routine for your baby / toddler after separation.
Parenting
Raising Children also has lots of information about parenting, which is explained in different, accessible ways. There are tips in pictures and videos, as well articles. The information is broad, from connecting with your teenager to raising multilingual toddlers or children with a disability. Their article Helping children adjust after separation or divorce is a good starting point when you first separate. After you have read this article we can lead you through more examples of the types of questions you can expect from your children and discuss some possible answers that are right for your family.
Family Relationships Online also has a good article on Talking to children about separation.
Property & Finances
The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC)’s Money Smart website has a detailed list of things to consider about your finances when you separate. It even has a checklist of actions you should take after separation (some of those actions you should consider taking before you separate, if you are considering separation - we can advise you on that). It also has a budget planner, to help you adjust to living on one income.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) can help you find out if you have ‘lost super’ - that is, superannuation that you forgot about or was in an account you did not know about.
On the Landata website you can order a copy of the Certificate of Title for your home, if you do not have a copy. The details of the Title will be needed if you are going to transfer the ownership of your home from both names to one, or from one to the other. We can order this Certificate for you, if you find that easier.
