What questions will the Family Consultant ask me?
What is a Family Report?
A Family Report is a document prepared by a Family Consultant, usually in Federal Circuit and Family Court proceedings, and provides a detailed and comprehensive evaluation of a family’s circumstances.
During a Family Report interview, both parents, the children and occasionally additional family members or new partners are interviewed by a Family Consultant as part of the evaluation.
Why do I need a Family Report?
The preparation of a Family Report is often sought by parents who are in a heated dispute regarding the future parenting arrangements for their children. A Family Report can assist parents to come to an agreement in relation to the time the children spend with either parent and resolve other issues such as whether a child is at risk in either of the parent’s care.
Alternatively, you may have been ordered by the Federal Circuit and Family Court to attend upon a Family Consultant with your children for the preparation of a Family Report. This is most likely in the circumstances where your parenting dispute is heading towards a final trial.
A Family Report assists parents and the Federal Circuit and Family Court by providing recommendations as to what living arrangements are likely to be in the best interests of the children.
What questions is the Family Consultant going to ask?
If you find yourself needing to attend upon a Family Consultant for Family Report interviews, you may be wondering what type of questions you will be asked by the family consultant.
Prior to the Family Report interviews, the Family Consultant will read all of the material filed in the Federal Circuit and Family Court proceedings. This includes your affidavit and the other party’s affidavit.
If there are allegations of any kind in the other party’s affidavit, such as family violence or drug abuse, it is likely that the Family Consultant will ask you questions regarding these allegations.
Other questions that the Family Consultant is likely to ask you include the following:
- what are the issues you consider to be in dispute?
- what living arrangements do you consider to be in the best interests of the children?
- what is your relationship with the children currently and what was your relationship with the children during the marriage?
- what is your relationship with your former partner? Do you support time and communication between the children and the other parent?
How do I prepare for Family Report interviews?
Before you attend Family Report interviews, it is important that you understand your case and what your end goal is. To do this, you should be very familiar with the documents you have filed in the proceedings. This includes reading your affidavit and familiarising yourself with your Initiating Application. Your Initiating Application contains the parenting orders you are applying for.
During your Family Report interviews, it is important that you remain child-focused. This means that your focus should be on what is in the best interests of the children, not what is in your best interests. You will impress poorly upon the Family Consultant if you focus on what you believe you are entitled to or what is convenient for you.
You should also be mindful of your behaviour during the Family Report interviews. During the course of the day, you will likely be observed by the Family Consultant interacting with the children. Family Report interviews can be a long day for the children and you should remember to pack the children lunch, healthy snacks and water.
You will likely be interviewed separately from the other parent, however, if you were to run into the other parent during the course of the day, the Family Consultant will be impressed if you can behave courteously towards the other parent and greet them politely.
The Family Report interviews are an opportunity to further present your case to the Judge as well as raise any issues you may have with the other parent or with the current living arrangements for the children.
For best results, we recommend that you remain calm and quietly confident during the Family Report interviews. If the living arrangements you are seeking for the children are actually in their best interests, then this can be demonstrated to the Family Consultant with good preparation and planning.
For further information on Family Consultants, please follow the below link to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia website.
https://www.fcfcoa.gov.au/fl/pubs/family-consultants
To find out what other areas of law we can assist you with, please visit our Services page here.
If you need advice and support in relation to a parenting dispute, Contact us today for a free 30 minute initial consult
Yarra Family Lawyers are a boutique family law firm conveniently located in Cremorne, within walking distance of the Richmond and East Richmond Train Stations. Yarra Family Lawyers practice in all areas of family law with a special interest in resolving parenting disputes with dignity and quiet confidence.