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
Toowoomba City, NSW · Toowoomba & Darling Downs
Best Wilson Buckley Family Law provides legal services in Toowoomba City, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Property & Conveyancing.
Bunbury, WA · South West
Biddulph & Turley provides legal services in Bunbury, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Probate & Estate Administration.
Darwin Cbd, NT · Darwin & Palmerston
Bowen Lawyers provides legal services in Darwin Cbd, NT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Mediation & Dispute Resolution.
Belconnen, ACT · Canberra
Bridges Family Law Specialists provides legal services in Belconnen, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Parenting & Child Custody.
Frankston, VIC · South East Melbourne
Bridges Family Law Specialists provides legal services in Frankston, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Property & Conveyancing.
Werribee, VIC · Western Melbourne
Bridges Family Law Specialists provides legal services in Werribee, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Property & Conveyancing.
Woodlands, NSW · Southern Highlands & Tablelands
C F Davies & Co provides legal services in Woodlands, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Wills & Estates.
Terrigal, NSW · Central Coast
Catalyst Family Lawyers provides legal services in Terrigal, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Divorce & Separation.
Burnie, TAS · North West & West Coast
CatholicCare Tasmania provides legal services in Burnie, TAS. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Mediation & Dispute Resolution and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Launceston, TAS · Launceston & North
CatholicCare Tasmania provides legal services in Launceston, TAS. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Mediation & Dispute Resolution and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Certus Law provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Parenting & Child Custody.
Punchbowl, NSW · Southern Sydney
Chidiac Legal provides legal services in Punchbowl, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Personal Injury.
Wendouree, VIC · Ballarat & Central Highlands
Child & Family Services Ballarat Inc. provides legal services in Wendouree, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Health & Medical Practitioner Law.
Ballarat Central, VIC · Ballarat & Central Highlands
Child & Family Services Ballarat Inc. provides legal services in Ballarat Central, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Health & Medical Practitioner Law.
Maylands, SA · Adelaide Metro
Clementina Maione Solicitor provides legal services in Maylands, SA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Property & Conveyancing.
Sydney, NSW · Sydney CBD
Conley Pickering Pendleton provides legal services in Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Property & Conveyancing.
Renmark, SA · Riverland & Murraylands
Connect Family Law provides legal services in Renmark, SA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Partner & Family Visas.
Brisbane City, QLD · Brisbane CBD
CRH Law provides legal services in Brisbane City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Milton, QLD · Brisbane CBD
Divorce Hub Brisbane provides legal services in Milton, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Parenting & Child Custody.
Canberra City, ACT · Canberra
Divorce.com.au provides legal services in Canberra City, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Erina, NSW · Central Coast
Divorce.com.au provides legal services in Erina, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Parramatta, NSW · Western Sydney
Divorce.com.au provides legal services in Parramatta, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Sydney, NSW · Sydney CBD
Divorce.com.au provides legal services in Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Norwest, NSW · Hills District
Divorce.com.au provides legal services in Norwest, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
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.