SENN & JOLIMONT

In this matter before Flohm J, the applicant, Ms Senn, and the respondent, Mr Jolimont, were in dispute regarding parenting arrangements for their child, S. The proceedings concerned allegations of sexual abuse, which formed a significant backdrop to the determination of the child's best interests.

The court was required to determine the living arrangements for the child, the allocation of parental responsibility for major long-term issues, and the specific time the child would spend with each parent. Central to these determinations was the overarching principle of the best interests of the child, as mandated by the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth). The court also had to consider the implications of the allegations of sexual abuse on the parenting orders.

Flohm J vacated all previous parenting orders and made new orders reflecting a shared parental responsibility for major long-term decisions. The child was ordered to live with the father, Mr Jolimont, who was granted sole responsibility for the child's daily care when the child was with him. The mother, Ms Senn, was granted specific periods of time with the child, including alternate weekends, alternate Saturdays, and periods during school holidays and festive seasons. The court also made orders regarding communication, the parents' participation in a Positive Parenting Program, information sharing about the child's schooling and health, and a restraint on denigrating the other parent. The father was ordered to facilitate the mother's access to school reports and photographs. The court also noted that particulars of obligations and consequences of contravention were set out in an attached Fact Sheet.