Book an Accredited Mediator for Family Dispute Resolution Today

Separation brings hard decisions about your children, your home, and your finances, and you deserve to make them with clarity and support. Family mediation gives you a calmer, more affordable way to reach an agreement, away from the pressure of a courtroom.

I’m Kelly Neighbour, Principal Mediator at Kannen Mediation and an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Laws from Macquarie University, and I discovered my passion for mediation while working at the Aboriginal Legal Service. I bring both sides of that training to the table: the legal understanding to keep your discussions grounded, and the psychological insight to keep them respectful. My approach is built on empathy, understanding, and professionalism, so that you and your family can move forward with confidence.

What is Family Dispute Resolution?

Family Dispute Resolution (often shortened to FDR) is a form of mediation designed specifically for separated families. As your mediator, I guide both parties through structured, confidential sessions, helping you focus on practical solutions rather than past conflict.

FDR is one of the main forms of alternative dispute resolution in family law. It lets you and your former partner work out your own arrangements, rather than leaving the decision to a judge. In Australia, most parents are required to make a genuine effort to resolve parenting disagreements through mediation before they go to court. That legal requirement exists for good reason. Parties who reach their own agreement tend to be more satisfied with the result and better placed to co-parent well afterwards.

Research by the Australian Institute of Family Studies has consistently found that FDR helps many separated families settle matters between themselves. With the right practitioner guiding the conversation, this process can turn a difficult moment into a constructive step forward.

Three professionals discuss Family Dispute Resolution in a modern lobby near a glass revolving door, business attire.
Three women meet in a marble-walled lobby, seated on modern chairs, discussing Parenting Arrangements.

Parenting Arrangements

When children are involved, every decision matters. Mediation helps you and your co-parent agree on workable parenting arrangements, such as where the children live, how time is shared, schooling, health, and how the two of you will communicate. Throughout, the children’s best interests remain the primary consideration, as required by the Family Law Act.

It’s natural to want certainty about how these decisions will affect your children. Where it helps, we offer child-inclusive mediation, a carefully managed way for children’s views to be heard by a trained professional and considered in the discussion. The result is a parenting plan built around your family’s real needs.

Section 60I Certificates

Before a parent can apply to the family court for parenting orders, the Family Law Act 1975 requires them to attend mediation and obtain a section 60I certificate from an accredited practitioner. This certificate confirms that you made a genuine effort to resolve family disputes and reach an agreement without going to court. 

As an accredited FDR practitioner, Kelly can issue section 60I certificates where they’re needed. For most families, though, the better outcome is to resolve their family conflict through confidential mediation, and we’ll always aim for that first. 

A man and woman sit on a sofa in a therapy or counseling session, facing a gray-haired therapist with certificates and notebook.
A couple discusses Family Dispute Resolution with a therapist taking notes on a clipboard in a bright, comfortable room.

Property Settlement

Dividing property and finances after separation can feel overwhelming, yet it’s an area where mediation works particularly well. Through private mediation, we help you and your former partner reach a fair division of assets, superannuation, and other financial matters, grounded in mutual respect.

It’s worth knowing that divorce, parenting, and property division are three separate things under Australian law. You can resolve your parenting and property disputes through mediation without waiting for a divorce to be finalised. Often, you can settle practical questions sooner and with greater peace of mind.

Making your Agreement Official

Once you’ve reached an agreement, you have clear options to make it formal and lasting:

  • A parenting plan is a written, signed agreement about parenting arrangements. It’s flexible and reflects what you’ve agreed together.
  • Consent orders are agreements approved by the court, which makes them legally enforceable. They can cover both parenting and property.
  • A financial agreement (heads of agreement) can formally record how property and finances are divided.

We’ll help you understand which option suits your situation, and we can prepare the documents that capture your agreement clearly. From there, you’ll have a solid foundation to move forward.

Four people discuss an agreement in a bright, minimalist office, with one taking notes on a clipboard.
Three women sit in armchairs around a table, ready for mediation in a modern lobby with marble walls and large window.

How we Deliver Mediation

Kannen Mediation is a Sydney-based service for family dispute resolution. We assist separated families throughout Australia, making the process as accessible as possible. We offer mediation:

  • by secure online video (Teams or Zoom)
  • as co-mediation or gender-balanced mediation: where two mediators support the process
  • as legally assisted mediation, with your lawyers present
  • with child-inclusive practice, when hearing from the children will help

Appointments are available during business hours, after hours by arrangement, and on Saturdays, so the process fits around your life.

We welcome and support people from all communities, including the LGBTQI+ community; carers, grandparents, and other significant people in a child’s life; and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. Everyone deserves a fair, respectful process, and that’s what you’ll find here.

Cost and Fees for Family Dispute Resolution

Mediation is far more affordable than a contested court case, and we keep our fees clear and transparent.

To get started, book an initial 15-minute consultation at no charge. 

For the most current pricing, see our price list. Investing in mediation now can save you considerable cost and time, and bring you peace of mind sooner. If you can’t afford mediation, we offer upfront payment plans. Please ask us for more information.

Two women in a modern living room during a Family Dispute Resolution session; one listens as the other speaks.
Three women in business attire talk by a wood-paneled wall in a modern lobby, possibly discussing a lawyer's case.

When a Lawyer is Involved

You don’t need a lawyer to take part in mediation, and many people resolve issues without one. That said, legal advice can be valuable, especially for complex property matters, and you’re welcome to get advice before, during, or after the process.

For families who want their lawyers in the room, we offer lawyer-assisted mediation, and we work closely with family lawyers who refer their clients to us. We would be glad to coordinate with yours.

Frequently Asked Questions

In mediation, you and your former partner make the decisions, with a neutral mediator guiding the conversation. In a court process, a judge hears the matter and decides for you. Mediation is usually faster, more affordable, and more private, and it leaves you in control of the outcome. Read our post on mediation vs court for more information. 

No. In mediation, the practitioner helps you reach your own agreement and doesn’t impose a decision. In arbitration, an independent arbitrator listens to both sides and makes a binding decision for you, much like a private judge. FDR keeps the decision-making firmly in your hands.

Yes. The Family Law Act 1975 requires parents to make a genuine effort to resolve parenting disputes through FDR before they apply for parenting orders, and to obtain a section 60I certificate. There are exceptions, including matters involving family violence, child safety concerns, or urgency. We’ll talk you through whether they apply to you. Most families find that starting with mediation is the smoother path.

If you can’t settle everything, that’s okay. You may still have successfully resolved some issues along the way. Your practitioner can issue a section 60I certificate so you can take the next step if you choose, and you’ll leave with a clearer picture of what matters most to you. Either way, you’ll have moved forward.

It depends on how you formalise it. A parenting plan is a flexible written agreement you both sign. Consent orders go a step further: once approved by the family court, they’re legally enforceable. We’ll help you choose the option that gives your agreement the standing you want.

Most matters are resolved in one mediation session. More complex matters may take more than one session, but will still settle far sooner than going to court. Timing depends on the issues involved and how ready both parties are to talk, and we’ll keep the process moving at a pace that suits you.

Yes, our mediations are conducted via secure online video, so you can take part from anywhere in Australia. Many clients find online mediation just as effective and far more convenient than in-person mediation. We also offer shuttle mediation in this format, which means you will be in your own private online room with the mediator ‘shuttling’ between you and the other party so that you are not talking directly to one another if that is not an option for you.

With the consent of both parties, yes. While the parents are usually the main parties involved, grandparents, carers, and other significant people in a child’s life can take part where it’s appropriate. We welcome families of all shapes and backgrounds, and we’ll make sure the right people are at the table.

Get Started With Our Family Dispute Resolution Service Today

Reaching an agreement is possible, and the right support makes all the difference. Book your free 15-minute consultation, and let’s find the best way forward for you and your family.

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