Pearce and Cole (No 2)

In *Pearce and Cole (No 2)*, Dessau J of the Family Court of Australia made orders concerning the parenting arrangements for a child born in December 2002. The proceedings involved the father and mother of the child, with the Independent Children's Lawyer also participating.

The court was required to determine the specific parenting orders to be made, including arrangements for the child's residence, time spent with each parent, and communication. This involved considering the best interests of the child and establishing a framework for shared parental responsibility, while also addressing specific concerns related to the father's contact with the child and the need for supervision and protection.

The orders were made by consent of the parties. The court discharged all previous parenting orders and established equal shared parental responsibility. The child was ordered to live with the mother, with detailed provisions for the child to spend time and communicate with the father, commencing with supervised contact and gradually increasing to alternate weekends and half of school holidays. Specific conditions were imposed on the father, including abstaining from alcohol for 24 hours prior to and during contact, and injunctions restraining him from exposing the child to violence or bringing the child into contact with certain individuals or locations. The court also ordered supervision of compliance with these orders by a Family Consultant for 18 months and mandated the use of a communication book. The father consented to several specific orders without conceding their necessity.