Family Mediation

  • Restore harmony
  • Repair relationships
  • Put aside drama
  • Tackle difficult decisions
​Effective communication can be essential to family harmony, but it can also be difficult to achieve at times of stress.
At various stages in a family life cycle, it is important for everyone to have a voice in negotiating expectations, roles and responsibilities, feelings and needs.
​Having a neutral third party to facilitate can make a huge difference with more difficult conversations. Mediation can short circuit old patterns such as sibling rivalry and longstanding parent-child relationship issues. Mediation can also be effective when conversations need to involve extended, blended or separated families.
CHILD FOCUSED FDR
Chalice Consulting uses a Child Focused model for family mediation.  We ensure parents focus on in the best interests of the child by encouraging them to:
  • Speak well of each other in front of the child
  • Foster multiple parenting relationships
  • Avoid putting the child in the middle or using them in partner conflicts
  • Keep ‘adult matters away from the child
  • Avoid adult life choices negatively impacting the child
  • Consider age appropriate responses to the child's concerns
  • Help the child through family crisis or change
Family mediation can assist with:
  • Separating couples (parenting, property, support and contact arrangements post-separation)
  • Blended families (step-families, multiple parenting roles and grandparents)
  • Transitioning through adolescence (identity, boundaries, risk and responsibility)
  • Acceptance and Diversity (gender and sexual identity)
  • Chronic health management (health, addiction and other challenges)
  • Extended family and inter-generational conflict (feuds, guilt, grudges and rivalries)
  • Elder mediation (navigating independence, aged care, health services and end of life planning)
​FAMILY DISPUTE RESOLUTION (FDR)
Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners provide assistance with parenting plans and other discussions between parents post-separation.  FDR requires a different framework from other mediation models.
In FDR, our aim is to work together with parents towards agreements that are in the best interests of the child and taking account of their care, welfare & development.
This means that the Mediator has a responsibility of bringing the child's voice into the room.
In FDR, we recognise that we are not simply neutral, but must provide a certain level of advocacy on behalf on the child.  We have a duty of care to protect the safety and well-being of the child in any decision-making.
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Chalice Consulting offers mediation by family dispute resolution practitioners accredited under the Family Law (Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners Regulations) 2008 and we are able to issue certificates under section 60I of the Family Law Act 1975.