Collaborative Practice (CP) is a new and highly effective way of managing separation. With the help of a small team of professionals, you can make arrangements for children and sort out your financial and property matters in a single process without having to go to court.
Like family dispute resolution or mediation, Collaborative Practice supports you in making your own agreements about the future. However, in Collaborative Practice you also have the advantage of legal representation and financial advice within a team that also includes experts in child development and your own personal coach. Collaborative professionals work together for the benefit of all involved and sign an agreement to stay out of court.
Usually a team consists of four different experts:
- an experienced Collaborative Family Lawyer who will represent you, provide legal advice and draw up any consent orders;
- a Financial Specialist to provide advice on managing finances and property matters in ways that best suit your current needs and plans for the future;
- a Coach to support you through this time of difficult and complex emotions and to develop communication strategies with you.
- a Child Consultant who is an expert on child development, to guide you in making arrangements that best meet the needs of your children and maximise their potential for the future.
The Collaborative Practice team brings together experienced Collaborative Family Lawyers and financial specialists along with Relationships Australia staff who are qualified coaches and child consultants with backgrounds in social work, counselling, psychology and family dispute resolution.
The first person you will meet will be your case manager who will arrange an assessment to make sure that Collaborative Practice is the best pathway for you. You will then choose a lawyer from our highly experience team to represent you. A coach, child consultant and/or a financial advisor will be organised as required.
There are significant savings both financial and emotional in approaching your matters via Collaborative Practice. First there is a free assessment process to ensure that Collaborative Practice is suitable for you and that you will achieve maximum benefits. Once you start, Coaches and Child Consultants are charged at the same sliding scale rate as our Family Relationship Centres. Our team of Collaborative Family Lawyers and Financial Experts drawn from private practice, charge at discounted rates well below their usual fees. If you would like to resolve your parenting and financial matters together with dignity, the support of a single team and the best interests of your children this is an option well worth consideration.
This service is available to all clients who might be considering accessing a Family Relationship Centre or Relationships Australia Mediation Services (RAMS).
To find out more, contact Relationships Australia NSW on 02 8874 8010 or email us.