About Us

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Childrens Contact Services 

Developing and maintaining close links between the child and their family are essential to children. Positive contact arrangements are seen to help the child to develop a proper understanding of their identity and origins. The visits are focused on the child and to promote a positive relationship with the other parent. We aim to provide regular and consistent contact in a friendly, relaxed child appropriate venue agreed to by the parents.  Given the duration of high-conflict cases, it is preferable that the child can do normal activities with that parent rather than being restricted to a location. Because we are a remote agency, we can strengthen the relationship in a natural setting. Family Hopes will get you through this stage as quickly as possible while keeping the child's or best child's interests in mind. Contact will only be refused when there is clear evidence that it prevents the authority from safeguarding the child’s welfare. 

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Legal Services

If you have separated recently, you and your former partner will need to make some immediate decisions about practical issues concerning your children and/or your assets like property and debts. Family Hopes provides services across Australia. We can assist you to apply for a grant of legal aid and connect you with other legal aid lawyers, court duty lawyers, private practitioners, or family mediation services.

Family Hopes provides information to help people with their relationships. Family Hopes provides a comprehensive assessment service for families, including grandparents, seeking advice, support and referrals to family relationship services, including family dispute resolution (FDR).

This service is a source of information for families at all stages, including people starting relationships, those wanting to make their relationships stronger, those experiencing relationship difficulties and those affected when families separate. Our experienced and fully qualified staff provide family dispute resolution as an alternative to the Family Court. Our experience in assisting parents and carers negotiate parenting plans has helped many families avoid contested court hearings.

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Family Court Applications

Family Hopes can provide guidance and support for Family Court Applications, including applications for divorce, applications for spousal maintenance, property and financial disputes, parenting orders, enforcement of orders, location and recovery orders, warrants for the apprehension or detention of a child, and determination of parentage.

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Family Services 

Family Law Counselling Services aim to improve family relationships in the best interests of children by providing safe alternatives to formal legal processes for families who are separated, separating or in dispute. Family Hopes provides a range of services for individuals, couples and families. Individual, couple or family counselling.Counselling is a confidential way that individuals, couples and families can discuss any issues and concerns. Counsellors are trained to assist you with identifying options and making choices that are right for you.

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Confidentially 

Our services are confidential, and all our staff are bound by our Commitment to Confidentiality and Oath or Affirmation of Secrecy, for Family and Child Counsellors. However, confidentiality will be waived where there may be a threat to an individual’s safety or if a serious crime or threat against another person is disclosed. Family Hopes is committed to ensuring that your information is protected and managed in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 which sets out the standards for the way in which personal information must be handled. If you wish to access the information on your file,

 

Child Inclusive Model 

Family Hopes also provides a child inclusive model of practice which helps to ensure the children’s voice is heard during the course of FDR.

Family Hopes specialist family violence service, counselling, family mediation, facilitated groups for parents and carers and property mediation.​

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Separation and stress
It has been acknowledged that separation and divorce are one of the most stressful life events a person can experience. 
Regardless of the terms in which a relationship ended, there are a number of emotional, practical and legal matters that may need to  be addressed, all of which contribute to heightened stress. In addition, the end of a relationship can be a source of significant transition and disruption to normal routines, living arrangements, financial security and relationships with family and friends, resulting in potential feelings of uncertainty about the future. 

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Domestic Violence 

If you have fears for your safety, you should contact the police. The police are equipped to respond quickly and appropriately. Most police departments have trained family violence officers who can put your case into a state or territory court and arrange a family violence order (also called protection, domestic violence or apprehended violence orders) for you. Once such an order is made, the police will respond to and deal with breaches of it.If you have fears about attending a court appointment at the same time or in the same room as your former partner, please tell the Court you are attending as soon as possible.

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Child Focus 

Even though you are separating, both parents are the most important people in your child’s (or children’s) life. When there are no safety or risk issues, the best arrangements for the future are those where:

• your child continues to have a loving and meaningful relationship with both parents and other family members

• both parents continue to share responsibility for the child, and

• your child lives in a safe environment, with no violence or abuse.

Parental separation can be a stressful time for a child. How they react to separation and divorce often depends on their age, temperament and the level of cooperation or conflict between their parents. They may experience a range of emotions which are difficult for them to deal with. If you or your child are feeling stressed following separation, see the publication Separation and stress.

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Children from separated families can develop and flourish just as well as children from families that are still together, especially if they are supported and encouraged to maintain a positive relationship with both parents and other significant people in their lives, like grandparents and other relatives.