Resolving child care arrangements outside of Court is best.

But you still need legal advice from an experienced family court lawyer first.

 

Wherever possible, resolving child care arrangements outside of Court is best.

There are a number of services available to separated parents to assist them to resolve their parenting dispute without having to find a family law barrister and go to Court, including:

All of the above services are completely FREE if you are on a low income.

If you do not qualify for government funding, the Parenting Through Separation course is still FREE, and the Pre-mediation counselling, Mediation and “Voice of Child” provider will cost you no more than $450.00 in total. It’s an exceptional discount on what you would pay if you sought private mediation.

While I salute the goal of enabling parents to reach their own agreements about their children's care, I highly recommend you still obtain legal advice as to your rights and responsibilities as a parent or guardian, before starting. This will ensure that the decisions you reach are the most appropriate for your children and that your important role as your children's parent and guardian is recognised. I work hard as a family advocate and as an experienced lawyer in the Dunedin Family Court system, I can offer you independent legal advice.

If you are eligible for government funding limited, I offer the Family Legal Advice Service for FREE. If you do not qualify for funding, I offer this service for the one-off, upfront cost of $299.00 incl GST.

Further information about the above family legal advice services and working with family court lawyers can be found on the Ministry of Justice’s website here.