Family & Relationships
Parenting lawyers help separated parents agree on, or seek court orders for, where children live and how they spend time with each parent.
Australian courts decide parenting arrangements based on the child's best interests, with safety the first consideration. Parents can record an agreement in a parenting plan, which is flexible but not enforceable, or in consent orders, which are. A lawyer helps you understand what arrangements are realistic and how to present your case if agreement isn't possible.
Parenting arrangements shape children's daily lives for years. A clear, workable agreement reduces conflict and gives children stability.
Under the Family Law Act, the child's best interests are paramount and safety is the first consideration. 2024 reforms removed the presumption of equal shared parental responsibility, so each case turns on its own facts. Agreements can be recorded in a parenting plan or made binding as consent orders.
Parenting & Child Custody firms in the directory
561 firms
Mildura, VIC · Mallee
Connect Family Law provides legal services in Mildura, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Partner & Family Visas.
Townsville City, QLD · Townsville & North Queensland
Crosby Brosnan & Creen provides legal services in Townsville City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Wills & Estates.
Murray Bridge, SA · Riverland & Murraylands
Devine Murdoch Lawyers [Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation] provides legal services in Murray Bridge, SA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Child Protection & Care Matters.
Chermside, QLD · Brisbane North & Moreton Bay
Northside Family Law Centre provides legal services in Chermside, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Property & Conveyancing.
Joondalup, WA · Perth North
Wise Family Lawyers provides legal services in Joondalup, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Wills & Estates.
Maitland, NSW · Newcastle & Hunter
Clarity Lawyers provides legal services in Maitland, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Wills & Estates.
Rockingham, WA · Perth South
Elite Family Law provides legal services in Rockingham, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Mediation & Dispute Resolution and Parenting & Child Custody.
Armidale, NSW · New England & North West
Emalene Gemmell Family Law provides legal services in Armidale, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Planning & Environment and Parenting & Child Custody.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Nicholls Anzani Family Lawyers provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Divorce & Separation.
Toowoomba City, QLD · Toowoomba & Darling Downs
PATTERSON & CO FAMILY LAW provides legal services in Toowoomba City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Business & Commercial Law.
Albany Creek, QLD · Brisbane North & Moreton Bay
Rittlaw provides legal services in Albany Creek, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Mediation & Dispute Resolution and Wills & Estates.
Cairns City, QLD · Cairns & Far North
Roberts Family Law provides legal services in Cairns City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Divorce & Separation.
Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
Cash and Stavroulakis Lawyers provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Family Law and Parenting & Child Custody.
Albury, NSW · Riverina & Murray
Coombe Lawyers provides legal services in Albury, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Divorce & Separation.
Bondi Junction, NSW · Eastern Suburbs & Inner West
Gramelis Attorneys provides legal services in Bondi Junction, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Binding Financial Agreements and Parenting & Child Custody.
Burleigh Heads, QLD · Gold Coast
Hunter Family Law provides legal services in Burleigh Heads, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Parenting & Child Custody.
Bondi Junction, NSW · Eastern Suburbs & Inner West
L&M Law provides legal services in Bondi Junction, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Business & Commercial Law and Parenting & Child Custody.
Canberra City, ACT · Canberra
Mazengarb Family Lawyers provides legal services in Canberra City, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Parenting & Child Custody.
Sandgate, QLD · Brisbane North & Moreton Bay
Northside Family Law Centre provides legal services in Sandgate, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Property & Conveyancing.
Queanbeyan, NSW · Southern Highlands & Tablelands
Vozella Lawyers provides legal services in Queanbeyan, NSW. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Family Law and Criminal Law.
Noosaville, QLD · Sunshine Coast
Arrow Law provides legal services in Noosaville, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Divorce & Separation.
Nambour, QLD · Sunshine Coast
Baldwins Lawyers provides legal services in Nambour, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Parenting & Child Custody.
Cairns City, QLD · Cairns & Far North
Cairns Divorce Lawyers provides legal services in Cairns City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Binding Financial Agreements.
Townsville City, QLD · Townsville & North Queensland
CLEON Legal (Family Lawyers and Domestic Violence Lawyers) provides legal services in Townsville City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Domestic Violence & AVOs and Business & Commercial Law.
Understand the next step
Describe the children’s current arrangements and the practical problem you want resolved. School, health, travel, communication and safety issues may need different discussions from a disagreement about time spent with each parent.
Ask how a proposed plan differs from a court order and what process would be required to record or change arrangements.
Explain the relationship history, current arrangements and outcome you want. Identify immediate concerns and provide every existing order or agreement.
Discuss negotiation and family dispute resolution. Parenting applications generally involve prior dispute resolution unless an exception applies; ask the lawyer to assess the appropriate process.
Ask how an agreement would be documented and implemented. Clarify who handles related transfers, finance and estate-planning work.
Ask for separate estimates for advice, negotiation, document preparation and court work. A fixed divorce-application fee does not necessarily cover parenting or financial disputes.
Ask for a written scope identifying the work you are authorising, the person responsible and when costs will be reviewed. If you only want advice on one step, say so before the firm begins wider work.
Highlight court dates, proposed travel or relocation and any planned property sale. Ask which time limits apply to your particular issues rather than assuming there is one deadline for everything.
Directory guidance updated 19 September 2026. General information to help you prepare for a conversation with a professional; not advice about your individual matter. Check current requirements with the relevant authority.
Good to know
No. The law focuses on the child's best interests. Equal time can be ordered where it suits the child, but there is no automatic starting point of equal time.
Relocating in a way that affects the other parent's time usually needs their agreement or a court order. Get advice before moving.
Not always. A simple divorce application can be filed online without one. It's worth getting advice before you apply if you have children, shared property or superannuation, because divorce starts the clock on time limits for property claims.
Married couples generally have 12 months from the date the divorce becomes final. De facto couples generally have two years from separation. After that you need the court's permission, which is not guaranteed.