Monroe and Gordon and Anor

This matter concerned an application for parenting orders regarding the child Z, born in 2009. The parties involved were the child's maternal grandmother, Ms Willder (the first respondent), the child's father (the applicant), and the child's mother (the second respondent). The dispute centred on the arrangements for the child's residence, contact, and parental responsibility.

The court was required to determine the most appropriate parenting arrangements for Z, considering the welfare and best interests of the child. Specifically, the court needed to decide who would have parental responsibility for making decisions regarding Z's long-term care, welfare, and development, where Z would live, and the nature and extent of contact Z would have with both the mother and the father. The court also had to consider conditions and restrictions to be placed on the parents' time with the child, including supervision requirements and prohibitions on substance use and denigration of other parties.

In its decision, the court ordered that the maternal grandmother, Ms Willder, have sole parental responsibility for Z's long-term care, welfare, and development, with the condition that she keep the father and mother informed and give due regard to their views, but retain the final decision-making power. Z was ordered to live with the maternal grandmother. The father was granted parental responsibility for day-to-day decisions when Z was in his care. The mother's time with Z was significantly restricted and supervised for an initial period of two years, with further conditions relating to drug rehabilitation and counselling for any unsupervised or overnight time. The father's time with Z was also detailed, with specific conditions including residing with his parents and their monitoring of his time with the child. Both parents were restrained from consuming alcohol or illicit substances prior to and during their time with Z, and from denigrating each other or family members in Z's presence. The court also extended the appointment of the Independent Children's Lawyer.