KEITH & KEITH

The Family Court of Australia, presided over by Berman J, considered the parenting arrangements for two children, B and C. The dispute concerned the allocation of parental responsibility and the time the children would spend with each parent, as well as specific conditions relating to supervision and professional interventions.

The court was required to determine the most appropriate orders for equal shared parental responsibility, the primary residence of the children, and the time each parent would spend with them. Further issues included the location for the handover of the children, restrictions on the mother's supervision of the children in the presence of a Mr D, and a prohibition on either parent seeking psychological or psychiatric assessment or treatment for the children without mutual written agreement.

Berman J ordered that the parties have equal shared parental responsibility for the children. The children were to live with the father, with the mother having time on alternate weekends, half of all school holidays, and on special occasions, with provisions for agreed further times. The court also ordered that handovers occur at E Town or an agreed alternative, with the father to endeavour to attend personally. Crucially, an injunction was granted restraining the mother from leaving the children unsupervised in the presence of Mr D, and both parties were restrained from taking the children for any psychological or psychiatric assessment or treatment without written agreement.