| Positive Solutions Mediation ● Counselling ● Training __________________ |
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Have you separated from your partner? Unsure how to
work out children, property or financial matters? Are
you arguing with your brother/sister or other family
member?
Relationships are the foundation for a civilized society. Today, in the twenty-first century, almost half of all marriages in Australia
end in divorce and many other permanent relationships break down.
These events are traumatic experiences for those couples and their children. It is a time of great change and confusion, which
creates uncertainty and distress for all members of the family. Families are faced with many issues:
Our organisation can assist couples with these questions. We are federally funded by the Department of Family, Community
Services & Indigenous Affairs to assist couples to attend mediation to discuss their concerns, and reach a mutually acceptable
agreement on financial and parenting issues. These agreements can be made into legally enforced Court orders.
Our team of family mediators are qualified in law and/or the social sciences and are skilled in helping couples reach agreements,
and in providing them with resource materials on children’s matters and other information to assist at this difficult time.
Family Dispute Resolution (FDR)
Family Dispute Resolution is an alternative to resolving disputes in the Family Court, and in most cases family law disputes can be
resolved faster and with less trauma and expense.
Whether you have been in a registered marriage, de facto or same sex relationship, Family Dispute Resolution helps separated
couples reach fair solutions and practical agreements about:
Family & Relationship Mediation
Family and Relationship Mediation can be used to help solve problems between:
It can help you decide what, if anything, you want to do about the issues/problems you face, and allows you to understand the
situation and each other better. The process does not adopt a one-dimensional focus on settlement. Other outcomes can be
equally important, such as:
Cohabitation Agreements
A Cohabitation Agreement is a written agreement between couples who are not married but who are living together in a significant
or caring relationship.
It helps you to discuss your concerns and clearly sets out your future needs in the presence of mediators, and deals with matters
such as:
The Relationships Act 2003 (Tasmanian Legislation) (includes same sex couples) now makes provision with respect to couples
living in a significant or caring relationship and gives clarification to those relationships around issues concerning rights and
entitlements to property and maintenance matters. If a significant or caring relationship breaks down, financial and property
matters are now covered under the Relationships Act 2003. The Court recognises:
Pre-Nuptial Agreements
For couples contemplating marriage, discussing property and financial matters may be a sensitive issue. Mediation provides a
perfect forum in which a couple, with the assistance of a trained, independent mediator, can:
The main advantage of a pre-nuptial agreement is that it makes explicit the financial interests and expectations of both parties in
the event of the breakdown of the marriage. The Court recognises such agreements.
However, in order to make such agreements binding, specific considerations must be satisfied under the Family Law
Amendment Act 2000.
USEFUL LINKS
Family Matters
Family Court of Australia
Family Relationships Online - incorporating Australian Law Online & Family Law Online
i-dont.com.au - Australia's Relationship and Separation Directory
Family Relationship Centre
Children Matters
Child Support Agency
Children's Contact Service - Tasmania
Raising Children - the national parenting information website
Australian Early Childhood Association
Good Beginnings
Legal Matters
Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania
Hobart Community Legal Service
Launceston Community Legal Centre
Law Society of Tasmania
Domestic Violence
When Love Hurts - domestic violence website for young women
Hobart Women's Shelter - Southern Tasmania
Jireh House - Southern Tasmania
Magnolia Place Women's Shelter - North Eastern Tasmania
6344 5322
Women's Shelter - North West Tasmania
6425 1382
No to Violence - the Male Family Violence Prevention Association
CONTACT US
BACK TO HOME
work out children, property or financial matters? Are
you arguing with your brother/sister or other family
member?
Relationships are the foundation for a civilized society. Today, in the twenty-first century, almost half of all marriages in Australia
end in divorce and many other permanent relationships break down.
These events are traumatic experiences for those couples and their children. It is a time of great change and confusion, which
creates uncertainty and distress for all members of the family. Families are faced with many issues:
- What and how to tell the children;
- Who will remain in the family home?
- Who will be the resident parent?
- What arrangements will be put in place for the parent wanting contact with the children?
- How will the assets be divided?
- Who pays child support and how much?
Our organisation can assist couples with these questions. We are federally funded by the Department of Family, Community
Services & Indigenous Affairs to assist couples to attend mediation to discuss their concerns, and reach a mutually acceptable
agreement on financial and parenting issues. These agreements can be made into legally enforced Court orders.
Our team of family mediators are qualified in law and/or the social sciences and are skilled in helping couples reach agreements,
and in providing them with resource materials on children’s matters and other information to assist at this difficult time.
Family Dispute Resolution (FDR)
Family Dispute Resolution is an alternative to resolving disputes in the Family Court, and in most cases family law disputes can be
resolved faster and with less trauma and expense.
Whether you have been in a registered marriage, de facto or same sex relationship, Family Dispute Resolution helps separated
couples reach fair solutions and practical agreements about:
- Living, parenting and contact arrangements for children;
- Money and property settlements.
Family & Relationship Mediation
Family and Relationship Mediation can be used to help solve problems between:
- Members of a couple;
- Parents and their:
 | Children | |
| Adolescents | |
| Adult offspring | |
| Step-children. |
- Grandparents and their adult children;
- Other family members.
It can help you decide what, if anything, you want to do about the issues/problems you face, and allows you to understand the
situation and each other better. The process does not adopt a one-dimensional focus on settlement. Other outcomes can be
equally important, such as:
- New insights are reached;
- Choices are clarified;
- New understandings of each other's views are considered.
Cohabitation Agreements
A Cohabitation Agreement is a written agreement between couples who are not married but who are living together in a significant
or caring relationship.
It helps you to discuss your concerns and clearly sets out your future needs in the presence of mediators, and deals with matters
such as:
- Assets acquired before and during the relationship;
- Debts and liabilities acquired before and during the relationship;
- Parenting children from previous relationships; Parenting of future children;
- Financial support for each other and the children;
- Clarifying the rights and responsibilities when making a Will.
The Relationships Act 2003 (Tasmanian Legislation) (includes same sex couples) now makes provision with respect to couples
living in a significant or caring relationship and gives clarification to those relationships around issues concerning rights and
entitlements to property and maintenance matters. If a significant or caring relationship breaks down, financial and property
matters are now covered under the Relationships Act 2003. The Court recognises:
- There is an agreement; and
- The agreement is in writing; and
- The agreement is signed by both parties.
Pre-Nuptial Agreements
For couples contemplating marriage, discussing property and financial matters may be a sensitive issue. Mediation provides a
perfect forum in which a couple, with the assistance of a trained, independent mediator, can:
- Discuss property and financial matters;
- Explore options;
- Find out what steps must be taken under the Family Law Amendment Act 2000 to make their agreement legally binding.
The main advantage of a pre-nuptial agreement is that it makes explicit the financial interests and expectations of both parties in
the event of the breakdown of the marriage. The Court recognises such agreements.
However, in order to make such agreements binding, specific considerations must be satisfied under the Family Law
Amendment Act 2000.
USEFUL LINKS
Family Matters
Family Court of Australia
Family Relationships Online - incorporating Australian Law Online & Family Law Online
i-dont.com.au - Australia's Relationship and Separation Directory
Family Relationship Centre
Children Matters
Child Support Agency
Children's Contact Service - Tasmania
Raising Children - the national parenting information website
Australian Early Childhood Association
Good Beginnings
Legal Matters
Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania
Hobart Community Legal Service
Launceston Community Legal Centre
Law Society of Tasmania
Domestic Violence
When Love Hurts - domestic violence website for young women
Hobart Women's Shelter - Southern Tasmania
Jireh House - Southern Tasmania
Magnolia Place Women's Shelter - North Eastern Tasmania
6344 5322
Women's Shelter - North West Tasmania
6425 1382
No to Violence - the Male Family Violence Prevention Association
CONTACT US
BACK TO HOME
| All rights reserved. |
| Under the Family Law Act 1975 mediators are now known as "Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners" and counsellors are referred to as "Family Counsellors". However, within this website, and solely for practical purposes, we have continued to refer to "mediators" and "counsellors". |