Parenting & Child Custody

Our Family Law Team assists parents every day in the complex area of child custody and parenting orders. We can guide and advise you to help expedite a resolution and ensure that your children’s interests are taken care of.

Send an enquiry

ABOUT US

Where a dispute has occurred, we can guide and advise you to help expedite a resolution and ensure that your children's interests are taken care of.

Our Family Law Team assists parents every day in the complex and often emotional area of child custody/parenting arrangements. Where a dispute has occurred, we can guide and advise you to help expedite a resolution and ensure that your children’s interests are taken care of.

At LSW, our child custody lawyers can assist you in reaching a parenting agreement or a consent order on the following matters:

  • Who will make decisions about your child’s welfare;
  • How many nights in each spouses home;
  • Who your child will spend time with, for what length of time and on what basis;
  • Where your child will attend school;
  • What name your child will be known by; and
  • Christmas, birthdays, holidays and overseas travel arrangements.

There are various options that may be available to you including mediation. Where possible, we seek to achieve a satisfactory solution without the need for court. We can assist you by recommending appropriate counselling and mediation services.

If litigation is necessary, we will act for you in all proceedings, drawing on our considerable expertise in this area to work towards the outcome you feel is in the best interests of your children.

Even if you have already reached an agreement, we can assist you in making sure that your agreement is properly recorded so that you can rely on it into the future.

Contact a member of our Family Law Team for insightful guidance in all aspects relating to Children’s Issues and Family Law.

Equal Shared Parental Responsibility

In most cases, the Court presumes that both parents will share parental responsibility for the children. This means both parents are jointly involved and must consult each other when making any major or long-term decisions affecting the child. Examples of such decisions include what school the child should attend or what medical treatment the child should receive.

However, in some exceptional circumstances, the court will grant sole parental responsibility to one parent in some or all areas of parenting. This is often the case where there is evidence of child abuse or family violence.

The Best Interests of the Child

In family law, ensuring that the best interests of the children are met is the primary consideration. Our family lawyers will always have regard for the children’s best interests when giving advice to you about the most appropriate parenting arrangement for your family.

When considering what is in the child or children’s best interests, we are required to consider the following factors:

  1. The need for the children to develop a meaningful relationship with both parents;
  2. The need to protect the children from any harm or family violence;
  3. The views expressed by the child (depending on their age and maturity);
  4. The willingness of parents to encourage a relationship between their child and the other parent;
  5. The capacity of the parents to provide for the children’s needs; and
  6. Any other factor the court deems relevant.

Award-Winning Law Firm
Transparent Fee Structure
Modality-specific expertise
Top Rated Lawyers
FAQs

Common questions

No matter where you are in Australia, our highly experienced lawyers can provide highly personalised legal services to meet a diverse range of needs across all areas of Parenting & Child Custody.
MEET THE TEAM

Our Family Law team

All team
Associate
Consultant
Conveyancer
Executive Lawyer
Paralegal
Partner
Partner - Head of Automotive Practice Group
Registrar
Senior Associate
Solicitor
Special Counsel
THE LATEST INSIGHTS

Explore the latest legal news & insights in Family Law

Our finger is on the pulse of relevant news, cases and changes to legislation that may impact our clients. Browse our articles and resources by area of law, and subscribe to our mailing list to be kept up to date.

OUR EXPERTISE

More ways we can help you with Family Law

No matter where you are in Australia, our highly experienced lawyers can provide highly personalised legal services to meet a diverse range of needs across all areas of Parenting & Child Custody.
CONTACT US

Plan your next move

To get in touch with our team, call us or use the contact form. An expert in your chosen area of law will get back to you as soon as possible.

Level 5, 99 York Street, Sydney 2000

By using the form on our contact page

(02) 9279 4888