Consent Orders Vs Parenting Plans
Our team can help decide the right route for you.
We have the experience to help gain the best possible outcome for you quickly & at low cost.
- Our process
- Comparison
FreePhone case assessment
Lets talk about your situation confidentially. We will need to understand your financial situation and gain information about any children, if you have already come to an informal agreement we will need to discuss this with you.
Book appointment with our family lawyers
If it's clear consulting a solicitor you will help your situation, we can identify the right one for your case and arrange a convenient appointment for you. We will review any documents you send us, and brief the solicitor before you arrive to maximise your time with them.
In depth consultation
At your meeting the solicitor will be able to indicate the outcome they expect to achieve and the legal pathway they would take with you to ensure the best possible result based off past cases and experience.
Sound legal advice & pathway forward
Armed with sound legal advice and a fixed fee quote for representation throughout the process you can then decide if you would like them to act on your behalf.
Don't risk making big mistakes.
Engaging a professional, understanding family lawyer with us means you will avoid common mistakes and gain the best possible result.
Lawyers with sustantial family law experience
Meet with good, local family lawyers that have been through the process many times with clients before.
- Past Cases
- Good Results
- Happy Clients
Consent orders vs parenting plans
Consent orders:
- are orders made by the Family Court;
- can be made by agreement via consent orders or can be made by the Family Court during court proceedings;
- can be made by agreement via consent orders or can be made by the Family Court during court proceedings;
- can be varied by a later parenting plan.
Parenting plans:
- are agreements between parents which are in writing, signed and dated;
- can be changed by making another parenting plan;
- are not enforceable in the Family Court but can be taken into account by the court in making parenting orders;
- can vary parenting orders made by a court.
What is included?
Consent Orders or a Parenting Plan might include:
- where and with whom the child will live
- how and when the child will spend time and communicate with each parent and other important people such as grandparents
- who has parental responsibility for the children
- details about other things that may be important in children's lives, such as sporting commitments, education, religion or medical treatment
- who will pay for what expenses relating to the child
- how you and the other parent might resolve differences between you in relation to your children in the future
- how you and the other parent might change the parenting plan if you need to in the future
- any other aspect of the care, welfare or development of your child or any other aspect of parental responsibility
How do i make a plan or order?
You and your spouse will first need to reach an agreement about arrangements for your children. Once you have come to an agreement you can make that agreement into a parenting plan by:
- putting the agreement in writing
- having both parents (and all other parties) sign it
- dating the agreement
A Consent Order is made by filling out the Form 11 Application and enclosing a Minute of Consent. These documents are available on the Family Court website, however it is recommended to seek legal advice as to the forms.
Enforcement
Parenting plans are not enforceable in the Family Court. This means that the court will not be able to assist if the other parent breaks the agreement in the parenting plan.
If there are Consent Orders in place and a party breaches the Orders (which means breaking or contravening) there are serious consequences. It is also serious to help someone else to breach a parenting order or to stop a person from doing what the parenting order says they must do.
If you breach a parenting order, the other parent (or other people involved) can then choose to make an application for enforcement or start contravention proceedings.
Don't risk making big mistakes.
Engaging a professional, understanding family lawyer with us means you will avoid common mistakes and gain the best possible result.
Lawyers with sustantial family law experience
Meet with good, local family lawyers that have been through the process many times with clients before.
- Past Cases
- Good Results
- Happy Clients
Our process
FreePhone case assessment
Lets talk about your situation confidentially. We will need to understand your financial situation and gain information about any children, if you have already come to an informal agreement we will need to discuss this with you.
Book appointment with our family lawyers
If it's clear consulting a solicitor you will help your situation, we can identify the right one for your case and arrange a convenient appointment for you. We will review any documents you send us, and brief the solicitor before you arrive to maximise your time with them.
In depth consultation
At your meeting the solicitor will be able to indicate the outcome they expect to achieve and the legal pathway they would take with you to ensure the best possible result based off past cases and experience.
Sound legal advice & pathway forward
Armed with sound legal advice and a fixed fee quote for representation throughout the process you can then decide if you would like them to act on your behalf.
Don't risk making big mistakes.
Engaging a professional, understanding family lawyer with us means you will avoid common mistakes and gain the best possible result.
Lawyers with sustantial family law experience
Meet with good, local family lawyers that have been through the process many times with clients before.
- Past Cases
- Good Results
- Happy Clients
Comparison
Consent orders vs parenting plans
Consent orders:
- are orders made by the Family Court;
- can be made by agreement via consent orders or can be made by the Family Court during court proceedings;
- can be made by agreement via consent orders or can be made by the Family Court during court proceedings;
- can be varied by a later parenting plan.
Parenting plans:
- are agreements between parents which are in writing, signed and dated;
- can be changed by making another parenting plan;
- are not enforceable in the Family Court but can be taken into account by the court in making parenting orders;
- can vary parenting orders made by a court.
What is included?
Consent Orders or a Parenting Plan might include:
- where and with whom the child will live
- how and when the child will spend time and communicate with each parent and other important people such as grandparents
- who has parental responsibility for the children
- details about other things that may be important in children's lives, such as sporting commitments, education, religion or medical treatment
- who will pay for what expenses relating to the child
- how you and the other parent might resolve differences between you in relation to your children in the future
- how you and the other parent might change the parenting plan if you need to in the future
- any other aspect of the care, welfare or development of your child or any other aspect of parental responsibility
How do i make a plan or order?
You and your spouse will first need to reach an agreement about arrangements for your children. Once you have come to an agreement you can make that agreement into a parenting plan by:
- putting the agreement in writing
- having both parents (and all other parties) sign it
- dating the agreement
A Consent Order is made by filling out the Form 11 Application and enclosing a Minute of Consent. These documents are available on the Family Court website, however it is recommended to seek legal advice as to the forms.
Enforcement
Parenting plans are not enforceable in the Family Court. This means that the court will not be able to assist if the other parent breaks the agreement in the parenting plan.
If there are Consent Orders in place and a party breaches the Orders (which means breaking or contravening) there are serious consequences. It is also serious to help someone else to breach a parenting order or to stop a person from doing what the parenting order says they must do.
If you breach a parenting order, the other parent (or other people involved) can then choose to make an application for enforcement or start contravention proceedings.
Don't risk making big mistakes.
Engaging a professional, understanding family lawyer with us means you will avoid common mistakes and gain the best possible result.
Lawyers with sustantial family law experience
Meet with good, local family lawyers that have been through the process many times with clients before.
- Past Cases
- Good Results
- Happy Clients
