confidential

A couple had been in dispute about a property matter and the wife’s firm of lawyers issued a subpoena to obtain confidential information. The husband submitted that this was a classic example of “fishing” as the firm did not...

Twins aged 12 years lived with their mother.  The father alleged that the mother tried to alienate the children from him as had occurred with an older sister. The judge had ordered that the children participate...

A complaint was made to the Registration Board AHPRA about the conduct of a treating psychologist. A couple had received couple counselling from the psychologist, then decided to separate.  The wife continued to see the psychologist...

  The case involved three children aged 8, 6 and 4 years.   The father alleged that the mother had over a long period of time before and after their separation threatened him and the children (family violence)....

Parents of children aged 9 and 4 years separated.  The father re-partnered.   Soon after the mother reported that the children exhibited increased anxiety and the mother withheld the children.  The mother demanded that the father participate...

A judge had ordered that children spend time with both separated parents, and that the mother have sole parental responsibility, with the father having contact supervised by an agency.  Supervised contact was ordered as the father...

Parents of a child aged 12 years referred the child to an assessing psychologist following their separation as the child was not coping with the separation.  The psychologist asked the parents to sign a form agreeing that...

The case involved children who lived with their father and spent supervised contact with their mother.  Both the children and father saw separate treating psychologists.  A single expert witness had reviewed extensive material and had spoken...

A boy aged 7 years had lived with his mother with no contact with the father for 2 years.  The mother had been diagnosed with PTSD and depression and evidence was presented that the mother could...

A couple disputed parenting orders, with the father alleging neglect while the child had been in the care of the mother, and the mother alleging family violence by the father (mutual accusations).  The mother and her...

A wife referred to remarks made by her husband in a conference ordered by the court that made her fear for her safety.  The judge ruled that the information was inadmissible as evidence as the session...

A child aged 9 years attended a course of attachment therapy provided by an agency to promote contact with the mother (therapy for child).   The agency refused to provide material about the child’s participation in the...

Two parents attended a family counselling session at an agency and later consented to documents about the session being disclosed to court and to the parties.  However the agency declined to provide the documents on the...

A trial judge ruled that while documents produced by a subpoena were inadmissible evidence they could be viewed by parties.  The judgment was appealed in the Full Court who ruled that documentation by family counsellors was both...

COAG – Levels of Parenting The Council of Australian Governments COAG considered child protection matters in 2009 after state governments expressed concern about the increasing numbers of children being removed from the care of their birth...