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Parenting & Property Mediation For Separation & Divorce
Every child’s needs are unique and every family’s best outcome will be different.
- Mediation is for separated couples who are looking to work out parenting plans together or to divide the property
- Mediation is a safe, supportive process to have conversations about your parenting plans or property settlement with an impartial person (mediator) supporting you both
- Mediation occurs in the shadow of the Family Law Act and is a required before for parenting plans before making an application to the family law court
A Conversation, Not a Courtroom...
Family Dispute Resolution (let’s call it mediation from here on) isn’t about litigation. It’s about finding a child focused way forward.
Mediation can be transformative for your co-parenting relationship if you start with a skilled and compassionate mediator who will facilitate these difficult conversations with clarity and care.
Mediation provides a safe space for parents to communicate and develop a constructive co-parenting relationship that benefits the children.
"Melanie, I wanted to offer you a heartfelt thank you for the way you have conducted the mediation process, for your professionalism, empathy and care. I’m not sure what happened yesterday in the session however it felt like a kind of grace entered the process and I had a glimpse of the ‘transformation’ which you stated mediation can provide."
- Anonymous, parenting mediation client
How Mediation Works
Mediation is a structured discussion between you and your former partner (or co-parent) with my guidance as an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (mediator).
Parenting mediation will always be child focused and Property mediation where there are children in the family will always be child focused.
It is my role and responsibility as your mediator to ensure that all discussions remain child focused and future focused. I support you both to stay away from trying to resolve old conflicts from the past and to look to how the future can feel better.
- Mediation can occur in person or via Zoom
- My role is to help ensure a healthy and productive conversation—whether about parenting arrangements or property settlements
- Parenting and Property mediations occur in separate sessions
- As a Mediator, I remain impartial, child-focused, and future-oriented
- Through gentle challenges, curiosity, and structured dialogue, I help you identify areas of agreement and those that need further discussion
Mediation is a process, not an event
You can always return to mediation for further sessions, reviews, and updates.
Mediation Outcomes & Agreements
Property and Financial Settlements
In property mediation, you can reach agreements about how to divide assets, debts, superannuation, and other financial matters after separation.
The process is guided by four key principles:
1. Identifying and valuing the asset pool.
2. Financial and non-financial contributions made by each person.
2. Looking at future needs (like income, age, care of children).
3. Ensuring the overall outcome is just and equitable.
Agreements can be documented in a Binding Financial Agreement or used to apply for Consent Orders through the Family Court, making them legally binding.
Parenting Agreements
In parenting mediation, you can make practical and tailored agreements about how you’ll co-parent after separation.
This can include where your children live, how time is shared during the week, weekends, holidays, and special occasions, as well as how you’ll handle communication, handovers, travel, and decision-making around education, health, and religion.
These agreements are written into a Parenting Plan — a flexible, informal agreement focused on your children’s best interests.
If both parties want to make the arrangements legally binding, the Parenting Plan can be used to apply for Consent Orders through the Family Court.
Nb: Accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners cannot provide legal advice (even if they are also trained as a lawyer). It is highly recommended that independent legal advice is sought by all mediation clients.
Explore the benefits of Parenting & Property Mediation For Separation & Divorce
Get results from an expert
Support from a Qualified, Experienced and Accredited Practitioner
Guided with Empathy and Compassion
Best Interests of your children at the heart of all conversations
Your Qualified and Experienced Mediator
Meet Melanie
What Sets Me Apart?
I bring a unique blend of professional expertise and personal insight to mediation. I am a qualified psychotherapist with a diverse background in the financial sector, corporate leadership, the music industry, and high-stakes negotiations.
- I understand the pressures and complexities of decision-making
- My years as a relationship counsellor give me deep insight into human emotions, relationships, and conflict resolution
- I create a mediation space where both parties feel heard, respected, and supported.
- For parenting matters, I focus on decision-making that prioritises children’s well-being.
- I will never pressure either party into entering a co-parenting or property agreement.
Melanie has a passion for helping others and she views the role she plays within her clients’ lives as a privilege.
Melanie supports clients beyond mediation with referrals to other support services if needed.
Why Choose Mediation?
Under the Family Law Act, attending Family Dispute Resolution is required before initiating court proceedings for parenting matters.
Mediation provides an opportunity to meet in a safe way, to find new ways to communicate about your children and to possibly make decisions about the children together.
The Benefits of Mediation
Every family deserves the opportunity to transform their situation to something more positive:
- Faster Resolution – Mediation helps reach agreements more quickly than court proceedings.
- Lower Costs – Avoid expensive legal fees and prolonged disputes.
- More Control – You and your co-parent create solutions that suit your children’s needs.
- Reduced Stress & Conflict – Mediation fosters collaboration rather than hostility.
- Child-Focused Solutions – Keeps children’s best interests at the heart of decisions.
- Confidential & Private – Unlike court, mediation is a confidential process.
Flexible Mediation Options
Every family situation is unique, and mediation can be tailored to suit your needs:
- Shuttle Mediation – Parents remain in separate rooms while the mediator facilitates communication.
- Legally Assisted Mediation – Lawyers may be present to provide support.
- Child-Inclusive Practice – A child consultant may be involved to bring the child’s voice into the process.
- Reduced Stress & Conflict – Mediation fosters collaboration rather than hostility.
- Child-Focused Solutions – Keeps children’s best interests at the heart of decisions.
- Confidential & Private – Unlike court, mediation is a confidential process.
Mediation is not just about resolving today’s conflicts—it’s about creating a stable and peaceful future for your children.
With warmth, structure, and insight, I guide parents through challenging conversations, helping them move beyond frustration and into a space of clarity and cooperation.
Build a co-parenting path that truly serves your family’s needs.
Your Qualified and Experienced Relationship Therapist
With you every step of the way
Melanie aims to empower parents and ex partners to have conversations that supports feeling heard and understood in the hope that they can find the places they agree and even redefine the way they communicate as co-parents.
15 Minute
Clarity Call
Make an appointment time for a clarity call.
Intake Session Initiating Party
First party initiates with an individual session.
Intake session for the next party
Second party attends an individual session.
Mediation coaching for each party (individually)
Both parties attend individual coaching sessions.
Joint Mediation Session
Both parties come to gether in a joint mediation session.
Agreements or Subsequent Mediation Session
The mediator will document any agreements made.