BELLWOOD & TARVIS

This matter concerned parenting orders for two children, X and Y, born in 2015 and 2016 respectively. The dispute revolved around the time the children would spend with their mother, particularly in light of the complex family dynamics within the mother's new household. The proceedings were before Judge Altobelli.

The court was required to determine the appropriate parenting arrangements for the children, including issues of parental responsibility, living arrangements, and the specific time the children would spend with each parent. This involved considering the impact of the mother's current partner's children on the children's time with their mother and establishing clear guidelines for communication and information sharing between the parents.

The court discharged all existing parenting orders and made new orders that vested sole parental responsibility for long-term issues concerning the children's education, religious and cultural upbringing, health, name, and significant changes to living arrangements with the father. However, this was qualified to ensure that such changes would not make it significantly more difficult for the children to spend time with their mother. The father was required to consult with the mother on these long-term decisions, giving genuine consideration to her input. Day-to-day care responsibilities were allocated to the parent in whose care the children were at any given time. The children were ordered to live with the father, with detailed provisions outlining the specific times they were to spend with the mother, which varied over time and included specific arrangements for school holidays and significant occasions. The orders also included provisions for parental communication, information sharing, and attendance at school and extracurricular events, with an emphasis on respectful behaviour and the avoidance of conflict. Further orders mandated parenting courses for both parents and an assessment of X's speech and educational needs.