Parenting Orders: What You Need to Know (second edition)

The Attorney-General's Department prepared the original version of this handbook with help from Professor Richard Chisholm AM.

We have updated this second edition to reflect significant changes to the law since the Family Law Amendment Act 2023 (Cth) commenced.

The following bodies have contributed to this publication:

• the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia
• the Family Court of Western Australia
• the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia
• Relationships Australia
• Women’s Legal Services Australia
• National Legal Aid.

Many separated parents can – and, indeed, prefer to – reach agreement between themselves on parenting arrangements for their children. By resolving their differences in this way, parents can save time and money while reducing stress for themselves and their children.

Every family is different. The handbook gives examples and tips to help separated parents decide what arrangements are best for their children. It supports them to develop a workable parenting agreement they can ask a court to make enforceable through parenting orders.

The handbook has been designed to give parents a better understanding of the Australian family law system and the key legal principles they need to consider when developing a parenting agreement.

People helping parents will also find the handbook useful. These include legal practitioners, counsellors and mediators.

For information about reproducing content in the handbook, please visit our Copyright page.

This guide is provided in accordance with, and subject to, our disclaimer, which you acknowledge to have read in accessing this guide.