Child Focused and Trauma Informed

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What is an Initial Assessment and Advice?
An Initial Assessment and Advice is a focused, preliminary evaluation to help parents, caregivers, and the Court make informed decisions about the children. This assessment helps the parties clarify the key issues in dispute and can be useful before court proceedings or for interim hearings. A well-executed Initial Assessment and Advice may reduce the need for a full Family Report and prevent future emotionally and financially taxing disputes.

How is an Initial Assessment and Advice Conducted?
The process typically involves interviews with each parent or caregiver, any other relevant parties, and each child over five years old. The report writer may also observe interactions between young children and their parents if interviews are not feasible. Adult and teenage interviews can be done online, while in-person interviews are preferred for younger children and parent-child observations.

Upon request, the assessment can also focus solely on interviewing either the adults or the children.

The assessment explores various topics, including issues in dispute; potential risks to the children, adults, or family unit; each child’s relationships, needs, and preferences based on their unique circumstances; co-parental and adult relationships; parental capacity; and any additional concerns identified by the Court or the parties involved.

The Report Writer reviews relevant documents filed in court or jointly prepared by the parties or their legal representatives, such as applications, responses, and letters of instruction.

A concise written report will be created, summarising information from the parties, children, and observations. This report includes an initial analysis of the key topics, recommendations on the children’s short-term care, welfare, and development, and suggested programs or supports that may benefit the family moving forward.

The Report Writer ensures safety throughout the process and determines the best methods and timing for interviews, observations, and report release based on a clinical assessment.

Costs
The fee for an Initial Assessment and Advice is $2,500 plus GST, with costs typically shared equally between the parties unless otherwise agreed.

What is Family Therapy?
Family therapy offers support, education, guidance, and, when appropriate, reunification for family members facing disconnection after separation. This therapy focuses on the needs of the children and emphasizes solutions but is not meant to replace individual counselling or other therapies.

The Family Therapy Process
Family therapy services can be requested jointly by the parties involved, through their legal representatives, or mandated by a court order. Each family’s situation is unique, so the family therapist typically begins with an intake session for each parent or caregiver, along with reviewing any preliminary information shared by the parties or their representatives (when applicable). The therapist then develops a tailored plan that may involve intake and individual sessions with children, individual sessions with one or both adults, joint sessions involving both adults and children, or joint sessions with the adults only.

The family therapist ensures safety as a top priority and carefully decides the appropriate structure and facilitation of sessions with children or adults based on a clinical assessment.

Please note: A practitioner cannot provide both family therapy services and a Family Report or Initial Assessment and Advice to the same family.

Costs
The cost of Family Therapy is $250 per hour plus GST, with fees typically divided equally between the parties unless otherwise agreed.